Report on the Progress of Industry Initiatives

In its response to the Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television Report entitled Reflecting Canadians - Best Practices for Cultural Diversity in Private Television the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) indicated that it viewed the Task Force's recommended industry initiatives as important mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainable collaboration in improving the industry's portrayal of people from Canada's ethnocultural and Aboriginal communities.

Noting the intrinsic role of the CAB in many of the industry initiatives recommended by the Task Force, the CRTC asked the CAB to report annually on the industry's progress in implementing the following industry initiatives:

• Developing better partnerships with ethnocultural and Aboriginal communities;
  
• Develop and implement initiatives that specifically address the significant under-representation of Asian-Canadians and Aboriginal peoples in mainstream television.
  
• Creating a better appreciation of the business case for diversity;
  
• Creation of annual awards for specific achievements in Aboriginal programming and achievements for diversity in programming;
  
• Developing, maintaining and promoting an industry website on diversity initiatives;
  
• Ensuring regular and on-going communication between sectors on initiatives related to cultural diversity; and
  
• Reviewing the CAB's industry codes.

The CAB's first report is due March 21st, 2006.

Diversity in Broadcasting Website

The CAB created the Diversity in Broadcasting website to act as an information hub for broadcasters and all industry stakeholders. The Diversity in Broadcasting website will also offer an opportunity to share ideas and information about other initiatives and events.

Gold Ribbon Awards for Aboriginal Programming

In keeping with the recommendation of the Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television, the CAB is pleased to introduce the Gold Award for Aboriginal Programming.

Open to CAB Television and Specialty and Pay members, the Gold Ribbon Award in this category will honour the station or service that has made the greatest contribution to the development, creation and production of an outstanding Canadian program or series dealing with an Aboriginal theme or tackling an Aboriginal issue, designed to enlighten, inform and develop awareness in the community.

Télédiversité 2005

Astral Media, TQS and TVA, in partnership with the CAB, are pleased to announce Télédiversité 2005, the ground-breaking conference of Quebec's francophone private broadcasters on the topic of cultural diversity. This conference will provide a venue to promote knowledge of both the issues and the opportunities that are offered by the wealth of cultural differences and the diversity of talent in Montréal's television sector. Télédiversité 2005 will present a networking opportunity for members of minority cultural groups who wish to work in the television industry, and for broadcasters to demonstrate how they intend to include aboriginal and ethnocultural communities to help properly reflect their realities. Click here for more information on Télédiversité 2005.