Following the federal government’s recent $60-million commitment to the CBC, it has been confirmed that English Television will receive almost half of it. At the same time, the Corp will lay off 50 employees in a move to further generate funds for programming and bolster the pubcaster’s level of ‘efficiency’ – a primary goal of its Transformation Plan.

The new funds will be allocated entirely to programming as follows: English Television – $29 million; French Television – $18 million; English and French radio – $5 million each; and new media – $3 million.

The money on the English Television side, as announced in early May when the federal government said it would infuse the Corp with an extra chunk of cash for the first time in 15 years, will be directed toward the CBC’s Transformation programming priorities.

Such priorities include regional reflection – supporting regional news bureaus as well as increasing coverage in foreign bureaus. A significant commitment will also be made to cross-cultural programming that merges English and French Television, like the coming, six-part series Last Chapter, a dramatization of the motorcycle wars in Ontario, and a new two-part Trudeau miniseries.

A handful of projects surrounding CBC’s 50th anniversary (2002) will also benefit from the new money, which is meant to be a one-off, but will likely be supplemented by another federal grant over the next year. (The $60 million is part of the federal government’s $560 million spending spree on arts and culture, a commitment made in last year’s Speech From the Throne.)

More resources will be directed toward children, youth and performing arts programming. And the new, late-night Innovation Zone, dedicated to new voices and talent, will also receive support.

‘Through the Innovation Zone, we’re looking for the next generation of Bernie Zukermans, Rick Mercers and Marc Starowiczes,’ says Slawko Klymkiw, executive director of network programming. ‘At the end of the day, it might be the most important part of the Transformation.’

Klymkiw was roaming the Banff Television Festival in search of hot new talent. While deals are seldom struck at the festival, Klymkiw did take an interest in some of the Canadian ‘new player’ pitches. Some, such as the comedy Chicken Balls from Robert Sheridan (Dr. Midnight Productions), the one-hour dramatic comedy The Last Resort from Swith Bell (Swithit) and the sci-fi comedy TV series Kromosvere: The Arkives from Maya Miller (13 Miller’s Court).

MOW Mr. Jinnah, pitched at last year’s Banff festival, is this year part of the CBC’s new mystery wheel.

The regular pitches, however, weren’t particularly strong this year, says Klymkiw, ‘particularly for us because we’re not going to do a reality-based show. In the past we tried to be everything to everyone, but with increasing competition in the marketplace, we have to be focused. So we’re focused on docs, information programming, high-impact specials, sports, comedy and performing arts. The hope is we go back to a level of high-impact, intelligent drama.’

For the most part, Klymkiw says the CBC was mostly in town meeting with partners and producers it is already involved with, as well as pushing its transformed brand identity.

Over the past several months, the Corp has conducted a review encompassing every department of English Television. As a result, says Herold Redekopp, executive VP of CBC Television, the CBC has identified 50 positions in management and administration that will be eliminated over the next few months.

‘This will allow us to reinvest approximately $2.5 million per year into programming,’ he writes in a note to CBC staff, dated June 19. ‘Approximately 25 employees of English Television are being informed today that their positions are being eliminated.’ *