The Committee to Examine Role and Mandate of the Position of Ombudsman at the CBC and Radio-Canada

FINAL REPORT

November 14, 2011

COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE ROLE AND MANDATE OF THE POSITION OF OMBUDSMAN AT THE CBC AND RADIO-CANADA

MEMBERSHIP LIST

JODI WHITE Chair

Vince Carlin Peter Mansbridge Genevieve Rossier

Pierre Trudel

Christopher Waddell

______________________

Jacques Gaboury Secretary to the Committee

Paul McWilliams Researcher

TABLE OF CONTENTS FINAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

I. Introduction and International Practices

II. The CBC/Radio-Canada Mandate

1. Appeal Authority 2. Process 3. Ombudsman’s Findings 4. Beyond the Appeal Process 5. Role of CBC/Radio-Canada Management

III. Jurisdiction 1. News and Information 2. Issues Arising from CBC/Radio-Canada’s Presence Online

a. Social Media b. Online Comments under Stories c. Organized Online Campaigns of Complaints d. User-Generated Content

IV. Recommendations

Mandate 1. Court of Appeal 2. Process 3. Findings 4. Beyond the Appeal Function 5. Role of CBC/Radio-Canada Management Jurisdiction

1. News and Information 2. Online Presence

a. Social Media b. Online Comments c. Organized Online Campaigns d. UGC

Appendix A: Committee Mandate Appendix B: Mandate of the Ombudsman (CBC) Appendix C: List of People Interviewed by the Committee

I. INTRODUCTION AND INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES The position and activities of ombudsman at CBC/Radio-Canada embodies the public broadcaster‟s commitment to the highest standards of journalism, journalistic integrity and

programming throughout the Corporation. It fosters public accountability and ethics, and marks a significant way in which the CBC/Radio-Canada differs from other media organizations in Canada. The review committee began its work by familiarizing itself with models and practices of media organizations around the world. It is interesting to note that no two organizations have the same model. Each has developed a model adapted to its particular situation and needs. Jacob Mollerup, the president of the Organization of News Ombudsmen and himself the Listeners and Viewers Editor at Danish Television, has summarized the broad categories of ombudsmen:

o internal codes ombudsman: assesses complaints formally against a code of practice and represents the organization before the media regulator; may or may not be involved in broader discussions about editorial standards; does not develop a particular profile;

o in-house ombudsman: an independent critic of practices at the relevant news organization; often referred to as the “barking watchdog”; this role has the right and expectation to take an independent position and to publish criticism whenever appropriate;

o formal head of appeals: the ombudsman works as a head of appeals through a formal complaints system; complaints are initiated with the responsible editor or manager; if the complainant is unsatisfied with the response, will then complain (“appeal”) to the

ombudsman, who will undertake a review and present his/her findings and recommendations to the editor-in-chief;

o media performance-based ombudsman: commonly journalists who have radio or TV programs through which they comment publicly on viewer‟s complaints or provide media

criticism;

o television editorial standards executives: internal employees who have a role in complaints handling and are also involved in the process of setting editorial standards; and

o mediator: the central objective is for the mediator to explain the media to the audience and to explain the audience to the media; is not a referee and does not decide who is right or wrong; the objective is to ensure a serious and open debate, including with on-air programs.

A brief survey of the ombudsman role at other major news organizations reflects a variety of models that have been developed to address the particular corporate and news structures in which they operate.

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o PBS: The PBS ombudsman combines elements of the “formal head of appeal” and the

communication and responsive representative of listeners and/or viewers. The major difference however is that PBS does not produce its own television content and its relationships with outside producers and local stations are more complex and collaborative than those of a more conventional organization. PBS describes the mandate of the ombudsman as serving as the public‟s editor at the broadcasting service.

o NPR: The first NPR ombudsman (2000) referred to the role as a “porous membrane” that

facilitates communication between the listeners and the program makers. While having a mandate somewhat similar to the CBC mandate, the major difference is that the NPR ombudsman uses on-air broadcasts and on-line public discussion groups to present issues and suggest ways for NPR‟s practices to uphold the highest professional standards.

o France Television: The public broadcaster in France, with numerous national and international channels, has five ombudsmen that are known as mediateurs. The mediateurs act as filters to select relevant complaints and they anchor programs which feature discussions between editors and selected complainants and stakeholders. They also communicate via their website and through other media. The mediateur is appointed by the President, is independent of all management and is responsible to link audience concerns to the programmers and to convey the interests of the programmers to the audience.

o BBC: The BBC has taken a different approach. It does not have an ombudsman. It has established a much more complex and comprehensive system. To begin, the BBC has a Director of Editorial Policy and Standards who is involved in the pre-production, pre-transmission process, advising on editorial standards and overseeing compliance with the editorial guidelines. In terms of complaints, there is a three-stage system. Initial complaints or e-mails go to an audience service department call centre, or directly to programs. The majority of the 220,000 complaints per year are dealt with at this stage. If the complainant is not satisfied, it is then passed to the Editorial Complaints division and, similar to CBC practices, the findings of this decision are published online. Finally if the complainant is still not satisfied, the complaint is directed to the editorial standards subcommittee of the BBC Trust (the government appointed Board of Directors). Once again, its findings are published online. Finally, the public can also complain to OFCOM, the communications regulator. This is an external but parallel process to the BBC‟s.

o ABC (Australia): Similar to the BBC, the ABC has a Director of Editorial Policies, who is actively involved in the pre-broadcast process. The director works with editorial staff to meet the standards of the Editorial Policies and to review the program‟s performance

over time. Editorial complaints are directed to Audience and Consumer Affairs.

o New York Times: Established the position of Public Editor in 2003 to work outside the reporting and editing structure of the Times. The Public Editor receives and answers questions or comments from readers and publishes periodic commentaries in the paper about the Times‟ journalistic practices and current journalistic issues in general. The

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mandate does not include the editorial pages, a point of considerable debate among the Times‟ staff and management.

o Toronto Star: First established an ombudsman in 1972 and is seen as the public‟s

representative in the newsroom. The Ombudsman is still the place for readers about stories in the paper or online, but the Star also uses the position to try to be transparent and open to readers about the decisions it makes. Having an Ombudsman allows the paper to acknowledge the mistakes it has made. The position is also more integrated into the newsroom than at other news outlets. For example, the paper recently gave the Ombudsman some responsibility to train journalists and address issues that are emerging from comments and complaints.

II. THE CBC/RADIO-CANADA MANDATE 1. Appeal Authority

The current mandate of the CBC/Radio-Canada ombudsman (Appendix B -paragraphs numbered) states clearly that it “acts as an appeal authority for complainants who are dissatisfied

with responses from CBC information program staff or management” (Appendix B par. 1). The committee believes this should remain the pre-eminent role of the ombudsman. The current mandate also stresses the fundamental importance of the ombudsman‟s independence in this

appeal role, while acknowledging he/she is an employee of the CBC/ Radio-Canada, reporting directly to the President and the Board of Directors (Appendix B par. 7). (All references to „ombudsman‟ in this report refer to both occupants of the position at CBC and at Radio-Canada.) 2. Process

The current process sees complaints coming either directly to programs from viewers, listeners and readers or first to the ombudsman‟s office, where it directs the complaint to the appropriate

program. Programs are required to respond promptly and only if the complainant is not satisfied with that reply can the ombudsman then be asked to render an opinion on the complaint (Appendix B par. 2). With the rise of social media, some complaints are migrating from the Ombudsman to social media platforms. This presents a challenge in that social media operate in a virtual world of speed and instant comment and contact. As described, the ombudsman process requires a complainant to be unsatisfied with a response and he/she then undertakes a review. The process appears to lack symmetry with the social media platform requirement for speed. The pressures for instant comment work against a process of thoughtful examination, review and ultimately a statement of findings. The committee believes it is essential for maintenance of the integrity of the role of the ombudsman that this official process be maintained, despite any pressures from social media comments for an instant reply.

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3. Ombudsman’s Findings

The review committee believes the current mandate is somewhat restrictive in its description of the communication of the ombudsman‟s findings, limiting it to the complainant and the staff and management (par. 3). In practice that has broadened considerably so findings are posted on the website. We applaud that. It is vitally important that all findings by the ombudsman be conveyed to the complainant, the program involved in the complaint and also available to the general public as soon as the ombudsman‟s decision is made. This should be accomplished by posting

decisions on the ombudsman‟s website and then promoting the location of the site to all CBC/Radio-Canada audiences. This sort of promotion of the ombudsman‟s decisions serves as a

transparent confirmation of the importance of the ombudsman‟s role and the CBC/Radio-Canada‟s commitment to responding to complaints from Canadians. The ombudsman‟s annual report continues to play an important role in documenting all reviews and findings, as well as an opportunity for the ombudsman to point out and reflect on issues or trends that he/she encounters through the year. 4. Beyond the Appeal Process The current mandate lacks clarity around activities beyond the strictness of the appeal process. As stated above, the protection of the ombudsman‟s independence is key. The mandate states the

ombudsman may identify “major public concerns” and “undertake periodic studies” (Appendix B par. 4) and yet there is no definition of parameters to guide him or her in determining when or if such an approach should be undertaken. We do not believe the ombudsman should become an advocate for certain policies or changes within the Corporation, nor do we believe the occupant should have wide discretion to intervene in activities normally seen as the responsibility of program managers and senior management of the Corporation. However the committee believes there is value in maintaining this potential role for the ombudsman. In exceptional circumstances, such a wide-ranging study conducted by the ombudsman of an issue or concern that cuts across a number of programs or platforms would provide valuable analysis and guidance to both program management and individual journalists. It would be conducted solely for them, and would have a beneficial impact on the quality of their journalism. These studies would not be intended for public distribution but more as a worthy internal document 5. Role for CBC/Radio-Canada Management As the ombudsman is an “appeal authority”, we do not believe he or she should be placed in the

role of promoter and defender of the Journalistic Standards and Practices (JSP). The findings of the ombudsman are meant to be descriptive of the specific instance and a judgment of its alignment to JSP. The ombudsman is not to position himself as an advocate on journalistic issues generally, as we believe this could compromise his independence in assessing future complaints that may arise. Educating audiences about newsgathering challenges and the many judgments and decisions that must be made as stories are assembled is a task best undertaken by CBC/Radio-Canada

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management. The committee believes a more engaged approach by program and senior CBC/Radio-Canada management and executives in explaining how its journalists go about their work would benefit both the Corporation and the ombudsman. Explanation of the ethical and journalistic standards applied by CBC/Radio-Canada journalists can also be a way of differentiating the public broadcaster from other news organizations in a time when the public increasingly sees news and information as a commodity with little awareness of how it is produced or who is producing it. We see this as important for the future, particularly as audiences become more interconnected through social media and online discussions and comment with news and information and with the people and programs producing it. III. JURISDICTION 1. News and Information

The media world and CBC/Radio-Canada‟s activities within that world are much broader and

more complex than when the original mandate was drafted for the ombudsman. What once seemed clearly defined distinctions between news, information and entertainment have blurred as programmers have developed new concepts to attract and retain audiences in competition with the many other players producing video, audio and online content. The result has meant that the public does not recognize or understand the clear distinctions that those inside the CBC/Radio-Canada make between news, information and entertainment. For instance, the public does not make the same distinction between a politician‟s appearance in an interview on The National or Le Téléjournal as being news with that same politician‟s appearance on George

Stroumboulopoulos Tonight or Tout Le Monde En Parle as being entertainment. The ombudsman exists to respond to complaints from the public and audiences when the response of programs is deemed insufficient. The importance of the preservation of standards and excellence to CBC/Radio-Canada‟s future suggests the time has come to address these

inconsistencies in the audiences‟ eyes. The spirit of professional norms and journalistic practices should apply to all shows. The committee found a considerable lack of clarity both in the current mandate and among CBC/Radio-Canada staff regarding what is and what is not within the jurisdiction of the ombudsman. Even the ombudsmen‟s own website does not make it clear. But it is our

understanding that in the past, the jurisdiction has been decided on the basis of the content, not on the basis of a list of programs. For instance, when any programs not seen as traditional news and information programs (e.g. sports, arts, comedy) deal with significant matters of public controversy, they are required by corporate policy to do so in a manner consistent with journalistic policy. Quoting directly from the JSP: “JSP also apply to personnel and news content

in specialized areas such as sports and culture. As stipulated in CBC/Radio-Canada Program Policies, general-interest programs and content and the staff producing them on all platforms must comply with the values of balance and fairness as set out in JSP when dealing with current issues, especially if controversial.” The recently revised JSP has clarified this jurisdictional issue, but it is not fully recognized throughout CBC/Radio-Canada. Nor is it reflected in the current ombudsman‟s mandate. The

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committee recommends that the mandate be revised in this area immediately, so as to reflect the JSP. In fact, we believe it would be wise to use precisely the same language in the ombudsman‟s

mandate, so as to avoid any misinterpretation. The ombudsman‟s website should also be revised

so as to reflect this. The committee believes that the improved transparency of the mandate and the specifics of the ombudsman‟s jurisdiction within CBC/Radio-Canada and beyond will serve to reinforce public awareness of the CBC/Radio-Canada‟s commitment to the highest journalistic

principles and ethics. 2. Issues Arising from CBC/Radio-Canada’s Presence Online

In the committee‟s study, we have found the issue of social media to be, potentially, the most explosive one facing CBC/Radio-Canada News and the Ombudsman. The committee strongly recommends that news management immediately begin a review of its processes regarding the interaction of its journalists with social media, and implement strict guidelines as soon as possible. The committee found repeated indications from managers, journalists and observers that rules and guidelines were unclear or ill-defined.

a. Social Media

CBC/Radio-Canada policy states that news and information on any social media platforms is subject to the JSP. This is not easy to implement or enforce. As one observer told the committee, all social media have a tendency to resemble a state of anarchy and it is a challenge to establish and maintain professional standards in such a climate. CBC/Radio-Canada executives acknowledged to us that monitoring journalistic activity on Twitter is virtually impossible. It is interesting to note that a recent academic study found that journalists do express opinion more freely when using Twitter. The study also referred to some benefits from Tweeting, as comments from journalists often can offer accountability and transparency about how they work.

Advice, direction and notes of caution will be very important to ensure employees understand the risks involved. Training and professional self-monitoring is key in this area and we encourage the Corporation to ensure such training is given to all employees on a regular basis.

This is important as the committee supports CBC/Radio-Canada management‟s view that

interaction between CBC/Radio-Canada personalities, journalists and those involved in program production and the public, through social media, are subject to complaints from the public and review by the ombudsman. b. Online Comments under Stories

The committee heard considerable discussion about online comments and some discussion of the role of ICUC in moderating those comments. A large number of complaints received by the ombudsman relate to complaints that comments had not been published in the comments section under online stories.

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There is not a newspaper in the world that publishes every letter to the editor it receives. Many letters never appear. CBC/Radio-Canada receives over 300,000 comments per month related to stories on its sites and the committee was told there is regular communication with ICUC regarding criteria for judging comments and occasional adjustments to them. The committee does not believe complaints about the non-publication of comments is an appropriate area for complaints to or oversight by the ombudsman, nor do we believe it would be a good use of his/her time and resources. The committee does recommend that CBC/Radio-Canada review the notice that is provided online regarding the Corporation‟s right not to publish comment and the broad criteria

applied in making such decisions. More clarity and specifics in communicating CBC/Radio-Canada policies here could reduce the numerous complaints from the public. The committee recommends that CBC/Radio-Canada display a clear statement of policy that is easily accessible to all who visit the page where comments are submitted. The committee also heard suggestions that the Corporation may be contemplating encouraging interaction between the public and its journalists within the comments section under stories as an expansion of what already occurs using such software as Cover It Live. As noted above in the section on social media, the committee believes such participation by journalists with the public is clearly subject to the JSP and therefore falls within the mandate of the ombudsman.

c. Organized Online Campaigns of Complaints

The online world offers new and exciting opportunities for the public broadcaster to connect with audiences, engage them in debate and discussion and allow them to participate in programs and online content. However, it also allows organized interests to quickly and easily mount campaigns of complaint directed at program content. On occasion, there has been evidence they mobilize supporters to bombard the public broadcaster with a high volume of complaints (often very similar if not identical in nature) about a specific program, nature of coverage or individual comment or personality. In some cases organizations engage in these campaigns as much for their ability to galvanize their supporters than for any expectation that their complaint will result in a response from the broadcaster. The Committee noted such activities in its discussions. CBC/Radio-Canada management needs to devote attention to how to address such campaigns by finding a balance between two potentially competing interests - the desire to have the ombudsman consider legitimate complaints and the equally important need to protect the integrity of the ombudsman and his office from becoming ensnared in issues driven by interest groups primarily for their own benefit.

d. User-Generated Content

While the Journalistic Policy and Standards document relates to the activities of CBC/Radio-Canada journalists and employees in their role as the primary creators of content broadcast and distributed by CBC/Radio-Canada, they are no longer the exclusive creators of video,

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audio and online news and information content on the Corporation‟s networks and web sites.

Technology now allows the public to be journalists and their contributions - whether video, audio, still photos or text - form a part of CBC/Radio-Canada journalism. The role and extent of this “citizen journalism” is likely to grow with the pervasiveness of smart phones, WiFi

networks and continuing decline in the price, improvements in quality and the ease of use of the technology used to create broadcast journalism.

The committee believes that contributions from the public and citizen journalists that appear on programs or in online journalism or are incorporated as elements in CBC/Radio-Canada news stories, features and programs fall within the JSP and it is the responsibility of online and program management to ensure that such contributions comply with the JSP. That means complaints about public contributions incorporated into CBC/Radio-Canada journalism and content or appearing on CBC/Radio-Canada web pages fall within the ombudsman‟s

mandate for review. The one exception would be material published completely within the comments section on web pages underneath stories, which as noted earlier, the committee believes should be outside the ombudsman‟s mandate.

IV. RECOMMENDATIONS: Mandate

1. Court of Appeal Maintain the central role of the ombudsman as the final, independent, appeal authority. 2. Process Ensure the current process for complaints to the ombudsman is preserved, despite pressures from a social media environment for instant response. 3. Findings Ensure immediate publication of ombudsman‟s findings via appropriate communication

technologies (website, blogs etc.). 4. Beyond the Appeal Function Maintain the potential for the ombudsman to identify “major public concerns” and to “undertake

periodic studies” that could be useful as internal exercises that provide valuable analysis and

guidance to program management and individual journalists. 5. Role of CBC/Radio-Canada Management

Management and executives should take a greater role and profile in explaining the commitment to JSP and the role it plays as journalists go about their work.

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Jurisdiction

1. News and Information With considerable confusion surrounding the precise jurisdiction of the ombudsman, CBC/Radio-Canada should immediately align the mandate with the language in the JSP and publicize that where appropriate. 2. Online Presence

a. Social Media

The committee recommends immediate attention to the need for guidelines and training in the use of social media by its journalists and staff.

b. Online Comments Public comments and the process of choosing which comments are published should not fall under the jurisdiction of the ombudsman. Improved transparency of the process is recommended.

c. Organized Online Campaigns

With evidence of increased organized campaigns of complaint, the CBC/Radio-Canada should examine both the issue and the possibilities of improving public understanding of them and their pervasiveness.

d. UGC As user generated content is subject to the JSP when it is used within CBC/Radio-Canada programming and online content, it must fall within the jurisdiction of the ombudsman.

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APPENDIX A

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE ROLE AND MANDATE OF THE POSITION OF

OMBUDSMAN AT THE CBC AND RADIO-CANADA PURPOSE: Hubert T. Lacroix, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada (the “President”) has requested a review of the mandate of CBC and Radio-Canada’s Ombudsmen to determine whether the mandate of the ombudsmen should be updated and modernized to reflect current realities at Canada’s public broadcaster. The President has established the committee to examine the role and mandate of the position of the Ombudsman at CBC and Radio-Canada (the “Committee”) as an ad hoc

committee to review the role of the ombudsman in the current media landscape and to advise the President on what, if any, changes should be made to the mandate of the ombudsmen. The work of the Committee will take place during the second half of 2011 and, unless extended by the President, the Committee shall be dissolved following submission of the final report to the President. COMMITTEE: The Committee shall consist of at least five (5) members drawn from among media professionals from English and French Canada and may be comprised of employees of CBC/Radio-Canada. Members of the Committee shall be appointed by the President, on the recommendation of the Chairperson. Jodi White will serve as chair of the committee. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The committee will:

- examine the current mandate and practice of the CBC/Radio-Canada ombudsmen and become familiar with some of the key issues over the past 5 or 6 years;

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- survey and assess current and past literature, both domestic and international, on the subject of the role of the ombudsman in world-class media organizations including the BBC, ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), France Télévision and the New York Times;

- the Committee may expand research to include the role of ombudsmen in other, non-media organizations, to see if there are potential lessons, in a broader sense, to be learned;

- consult directly with the two current ombudsmen at CBC/Radio-Canada;

- seek out direct contact with other experienced professionals in the field to

examine best practices and lessons learned in other major media organizations inside Canada and in other countries, as necessary and beneficial;

- pay specific attention to the challenges presented by the increasing predominance

of social media and its impacts, inside the corporation, on standard journalistic practices and coverage, and on its audiences;

- consider the changes in the Canadian media landscape, and in particular the growth of social media, and assess its the impact – either real or potential - on the mandate and role of the ombudsman;

- provide advice and recommendations on the strengths, weaknesses and challenges

of the current mandate; and

- recommend any changes and/or improvements deemed necessary to ensure the role of the ombudsman is aligned to provide a singular contribution to the integrity of the CBC’s Journalistic Standards and Practices and to the CBC governance structure.

PROCEDURES: The Committee will meet, as required, over the course of the next three months, both in person and by telephone. Meetings shall be held at the call of the chairperson, and at least two such meetings (in Montreal and Toronto) will be held in person in order to meet with the existing Ombudsmen and to conduct other interviews, as deemed appropriate by the Commitee. A record of each meeting shall be kept by the Chairperson. CBC/Radio-Canada has appointed legal counsel to the Committee (Jacques Gaboury) who will act as a point of contact to the Management of the Corporation, will provide research assistance to the Committee and, when requested, may provide advice to the Committee. In addition, if requested, legal counsel may act as secretary of Committee

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meetings and if so asked, will provide copies to all Committee Members a summary of such meetings. REPORTING: The Committee will report on its findings and will provide recommendations, in writing, to the President, by no later than October 31, 2011. In addition, the Chairperson will provide interim verbal reports to the President on an ongoing basis, as deemed appropriate by the Chairperson. 12 July 2011

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APPENDIX B

THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN

I. Mandate 1. The Ombudsman acts as an appeal authority for complainants who are dissatisfied with

responses from CBC information program staff or management.

2. The Ombudsman generally intervenes only when a correspondent deems a response from a representative of the Corporation unsatisfactory and so informs the Office of the Ombudsman. However, the Ombudsman may also intervene when the Corporation fails to respond to a complaint within a reasonable time.

3. The Ombudsman determines whether the journalistic process or the broadcast involved

in the complaint did, in fact, violate the Corporation’s journalistic policies and standards. The gathering of facts is non-judicial process and the Ombudsman does not examine the civil liability of the Corporation or its journalists. The Ombudsman informs the complainant and the staff and management concerned of the review’s findings.

4. As necessary, the Ombudsman identifies major public concerns as gleaned from complaints received by the Office and advises CBC management and journalists accordingly. The Ombudsman may undertake periodic studies on overall coverage of specific issues when it is felt there may be a problem.

5. On occasion, the Ombudsman may convey to a wider audience, either within the CBC or among the general public, particular cases of concern or consequence to others than the complainant alone.

6. The Ombudsman establishes a central registry of complaints and comments regarding information programs, and alerts journalists and managers on a regular basis to issues that causing public concern.

7. The Ombudsman prepares and presents an annual report to the President and the Board of Directors of the Corporation summarizing how complaints were dealt with and reviewing the main issues handled by the Office of the Ombudsman in the previous year. The report includes mention of the actions, if any, taken by management as a result of the Ombudsman’s findings, provided such disclosure does not contravene applicable laws, regulations or collective agreements. The annual report, or a summary thereof, is made public.

8. The Office of the Ombudsman reports annually on how each media component has met the CBC standard of service for the expeditious handling of complaints.

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II. Compliance 9. The Office of the Ombudsman is responsible for evaluating compliance with journalistic

policies in all programs under its jurisdiction. It can be assisted in this role by independent advice panels.

10. Panel members are chosen by the Ombudsman. Their mandate is to assess individual or groups of programs over a period of time, or the overall coverage of a particular issue by many programs, and report their findings to the Ombudsman.

11. The evaluation measures the programs performance in respecting the three fundamental principles of CBC journalism: accuracy, integrity and fairness.

12. The Ombudsman aims to have all information programming reviewed over a five-year period. The Office reports annually.

III. Jurisdiction 13. The jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman covers all information programs on

radio, television and the internet.

14. These programs include News and all aspects of Public Affairs (political, economic and social) as well as journalistic activities in agriculture, arts, music, religion, science, sports, and variety.

15. Complaints beyond the Ombudsman’s mandate should be addressed directly to the programs concerned, or Audience Relations.

IV. Appointment 16. When filling the Ombudsman’s position, the CBC openly seeks candidates from outside

as well as inside the Corporation.

17. After appropriate consultation, the President and CEO establishes a selection committee of four. Two members, including the committee chair, must be from the public. The other committee members are chosen, one among CBC management, the other among its working journalists. Members representing the Corporation and journalists jointly select the committee chair among the two representatives of the public.

18. The selection committee examines applications and selects a candidate to be

recommended for appointment by the President and CEO.

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19. The Ombudsman’s appointment is for a term of five years. This term may be extended

for no more than five additional years. The Ombudsman’s contract cannot be terminated except for dereliction of duty or gross misconduct.

20. The outgoing Ombudsman may not occupy any other position at the CBC for a period of two years following the end of his/her term, but can, at the discretion of the incoming Ombudsman, be contracted to work for the Office of the Ombudsman

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APPENDIX C

LIST OF PEOPLE INTERVIEWED BY THE COMMITTEE

1. Marc François Bernier

2. John Cruikshank

3. Susan Delacourt

4. Esther Enkin

5. Bill Fox

6. Bruno Guglieminetti

7. David Jordan

8. Louise Lantange

9. Kirk Lapointe

10. Neil McDonald

11. Jennifer McGuire

12. Julie Miville-Deschêne

13. Jacob Mollerup

14. Joyce Napier

15. Rachel Nixon

16. Alain Saulnier