CBC, Quebecor reach truce aimed at ‘re-establishing commercial relationship’
Broadcaster to buy ads, media conglomerate agrees to carry CBC channels
The war between Quebecor and the CBC has taken an unexpected turn toward peace.
The companies signed new agreements on Friday, ones aimed “at reestablishing their commercial relationships over the years to come.”
“As leaders in their respective markets, we were always convinced that our newspapers made it possible for Société Radio-canada to reach the broad audience that its mandate enjoins it to reach,” said Pierre Karl Péladeau, Quebecor’s president and chief executive in a statement.
“We are happy to see that, by this agreement, Société Radio-canada recognizes the value of our newspapers to achieve its objectives as a public broadcaster.”
Under the deal, the CBC will purchase print and digital ads in Quebecor properties.
Meanwhile, Quebecor renewed an agreement so various CBC channels can be carried across its Videotron subsidiary, a telecom giant with cable, Internet and wireless properties.
The announcement comes after a bitter feud in which Quebecor accused the public broadcaster of not advertising in its publications while suggesting the CBC was irresponsible with taxpayer dollars.
The philosophical dispute, which dates back more than two years, has led to several stories by Quebecor media outlets, including on the Sun News Network, that have con- demned the CBC over ongoing perceptions of bureaucratic secrecy and mismanagement.
But while many Conservative MPS have joined the attack, an internal memo indicates Prime Minister Stephen Harper may be on side with the CBC, at least with respect to how and where money is spent on advertising.
Last month, the Canadian Press obtained an internal memo sent to the PMO that was signed by Wayne Wouters, clerk of the Privy Council Office.
The document suggested there was no evidence the CBC was engaged in an unofficial boycott of Quebecor.
“In absolute and relative terms, the CBC/RC is reaching more Canadians across more platforms than at any time in their history,” read the memo. The CBC is facing a budget cut after the next federal budget, which could be as high as 10 per cent across departments. Whether these new deals signal a complete ceasefire in the war between the two media titans remains to be seen. A spokesperson for Quebecor said the company would have no further comment beyond Péladeau’s statement in Monday’s press release.