CBC News hopes to strike a new note – five new notes, in fact – with 25-54-year-old news viewers across the country, but the early word from media buyers says the new and more youthful approach from the Ceeb’s newsies may already be falling flat.

On Jan. 9, just four years after getting a new look from U.S. branding firm Razorfish, the network unveiled a new look for all its news programs based on a two-year study about Canadian viewing habits.

All news shows now begin with the same five-note tune (or ‘mnemonic’) and a redesigned logo.

‘In the past, all our programs had mixed branding. People didn’t realize the depth and scope of our news programming. Now it’s standardized, integrated, showing just how broad our scope is,’ explains John Bozzo, CBC’s executive director of communications. Focus groups revealed that ‘when people found out how much we offer, all under one umbrella, they were impressed.’

‘We want to regain our number-one status in news,’ he says. The Ceeb generally trails CTV and Global. ‘And if we can increase audiences in the supper hours, especially in the major markets of Vancouver and Toronto, we can increase revenues.’

The 1,200-person study conducted by CBC’s research branch in Toronto and Research Strategy Group revealed that Canadians, especially women, want to see local news during the supper hour. All of the net’s regional newscasts, except in the Maritimes, have been retitled CBC News at Six and moved a half-hour earlier to 6 p.m. They are now followed by the Vancouver-produced national newscast Canada Now with Ian Hanomansing.

But media buyers aren’t buying it, at least not yet.

‘The changes are a non-issue,’ says Dennis Dinga at M2 Universal. ‘Sure, hockey and the Olympics bring in viewers in that demographic, but these changes to the news aren’t going to change a thing. Face it, there are people [at CBC] that philosophically don’t want to have to attract advertisers.’

OMD Canada’s Kim Dougherty is also skeptical, noting the poor returns on the youth-aimed The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos on CBC Newsworld.

‘In a year and half it hasn’t brought down the demographics at all,’ she says. ‘They need to advertise outside of their own platforms to bring the desired audiences in.’

The Corp has recently bought media in different arenas, including an advertorial spread in the Dec. 26 issue of Maclean’s.

Bozzo says CBC is reexamining its editorial content and programming in response to a perceived image that it is elitist. ‘In the study, Canadians told us they respect CBC’s work, but they wanted more humility from us, to stop being so self-righteous.’

CBC debuted the new look and sound now because its news programming usually plays well during federal elections, he says.

CBC isn’t the only network angling for a larger piece of the 25-54 dinner-hour demo. Global Television will unveil its new logo on Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 5 and, the next day, will bump its Global National with Kevin Newman by half an hour to 5:30 p.m., followed by local news at 6 p.m. (again, except in the Maritimes.)

Market leader CTV has also expanded the scope of its 24-hour cable outlet, CTV Newsnet.

www.cbc.ca

www.globaltv.com

www.ctv.ca