CBC to broadcast JUNO Awards after a 16-year hiatus
After a 16-year hiatus, CBC is pulling out all the stops to broadcast this year’s JUNO Awards. For the first time, it is broadcasting the ceremony live across the country, so that the nation can watch together without time delays.
“We see a collective desire for shared experience – we’ve seen that with the Olympics, and with the Tragically Hip concert,” says Sally Catto, General Manager, Programming for CBC Television. “Using all of our platforms, people can watch how they want to watch – it’s a real opportunity to bring the audience together.”
In addition to the television broadcast, people will also have the option to access content through CBC Radio, CBC’s app, livestreaming, YouTube and Facebook. Catto envisions people starting out on one platform, clicking through to another, and potentially finishing the evening on another. Performances and other content will be available on demand if viewers aren’t able to tune in live.
For the first time, JUNOS content will also be streamed around the world. Again, the CBC made that decision in part based on its experience with the Tragically Hip’s final concert, in advance of front man Gord Downie’s death from brain cancer.
“It’s very important to celebrate Canadian music, not just for the Canadians living here, but for Canadians around the world – with the Tragically Hip, we saw remarkable response from Canadians worldwide who were grateful to be part of the experience,” Catto explains. “This is an exciting opportunity to showcase our talent to audiences beyond our borders.”
The 47th annual JUNO Awards will include a tribute to Gord Downie from some of Canada’s biggest music stars, and will be hosted by Michael Bublé. The Burnaby native previously hosted the JUNOS in 2013, when they were held in Regina, SK.
The broadcast marks the start of a six-year broadcasting commitment by the CBC to the JUNOS. The conversations around the partnership began after more than 11 million people tuned into the final Hip concert, unifying the country in an electrifying fashion.
“It showed us music can bring us together as a nation. Our mandate is to showcase talent from across the country, which is in sync with the mandate of CARAS (the organization overseeing the JUNOS),” Catto details. “With multiple platforms, we can bring a lot to Canadian audiences in terms of accessibility.”
She also points out that the mandate doesn’t end after one night or one show; she says CBC is committed to celebrating Canadian talent throughout the year in a variety of ways. That includes special sessions with artists, and designating March 25th as Music Day on CBC. The hope is to have Music Day become an annual event moving forward.
Catto says she’s thinking beyond whatever metrics are used for viewership of this year’s JUNOS; in her mind, the fact that Canadian musicians are getting attention already makes the show a success.