Letter from Solutions Research Group

September 22, 2004

Madeline Ziniak, Chair
Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television
c/o Susan Wheeler
Senior Director, Policy and Regulatory Affairs
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
350 Sparks St., Suite 306
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5S2

Dear Ms. Ziniak,

I am writing to you to bring to your attention an error in the Phase V Content Analysis Report of the Cultural Diversity on Canadian Television Study. As you are aware, we had compared our results from the content analysis to Statistics Canada population benchmark numbers for visible minorities in Canada in order to identify gaps in terms of presence. However, the incorrect Statistics Canada benchmarks were used for this comparison. We discovered this error through a discussion of our findings with the CRTC.

To expand, Statistics Canada visible minority definitions and figures do not include the Aboriginal populations of Canada. Our Phase V study, on the other hand, recorded persons of both visible minority and Aboriginal backgrounds. Accordingly, the Statistics Canada benchmarks used in the report for comparison purposes need to be revised to reflect this difference in definitions.

The Statistics Canada diversity benchmarks used in the “Summary of Key Findings” section of the Phase V Content Analysis report were 15.3% for English-speaking Canada, and 6.9% for Quebec. They should have been 19.3% for English-speaking Canada and 7.9% for Quebec.

I attach revised pages of the Phase V report. Three pages are affected – 10, 11 and 12.

As Study Director, I very much regret that this error occurred, and would of course have preferred its discovery prior to the completion of our reports. However, I believe this in no way detracts from the quality and originality of the study, which is among the leading pieces of research undertaken in the area of cultural diversity.

Further, the implications of this error are materially important, as the wider presence gaps created by higher benchmarks are consistent with our overall study findings. If anything, the increase in presence gaps underlines the importance of the Task Force’s work, and renders all the more imperative the implementation of those Best Practices that will address these issues.

Please let me know if you would like more information or clarification on the attached. I can be reached at 416.323.1337 x 22 or by e-mail kyigit@srgnet.com.

Sincerely,

Original signed by Kaan Yigit

Kaan Yigit
Study Director
Solutions Research Group