After the head of Canada's public broadcaster gave a newspaper interview earlier this year that promised CBC would eventually become a digital-only product and that criticized Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, senior managers were quick to refute her comments, internal emails suggest.
The Globe and Mail reported in February based on an interview with Catherine Tait that she was preparing to end traditional TV and radio broadcasts and move completely to a digital platform, but that this likely wouldn't happen in the next decade.
In the newspaper interview, she also accused the federal Conservative leader of inciting attacks on the public broadcaster as a political fundraising tactic. "It goes without saying that we should cover this file with the same fair, accurate, balanced and fact-based approach we use for any other story," Achi wrote.
Leon Mar, a spokesperson for CBC, said Tait was unavailable for an interview to discuss the documents, adding: "We don't comment on internal employee conversations, which by their nature are confidential."Emails say the Canadian Media Guild was preparing to issue a public statement over Tait's remarks the day the story came out, but agreed to delay it by a day to await clarity from management.
Shaun Poulter, executive director of strategy public affairs and government relations at CBC/Radio-Canada, said in an internal email at the time that union representatives claimed they felt "blindsided" and "betrayed" by the digital-first language.
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