OTTAWA — CBC’s use of new media was the focus of much discussion on Thursday at the heritage committee, which opened its long-awaited examination of the public broadcaster and its future.

Conservative MP Chris Warkentin (Peace River) suggested that the CBC could use new technologies to develop expertise in niche markets, and to attract a younger demographic — putting the question to Jean-Pierre Blais, assistant deputy minister at Canadian Heritage and the first witness to appear at the CBC hearings.

Blais responded that CBC officials could best answer the myriad questions from the MPs on new media — and later noted that the network does not get its direction from Heritage — but conceded that a 2003 report by the same committee, then headed by Clifford Lincoln, recommended that the Broadcasting Act should be amended to add new media to the CBC’s mandate.

‘Right now, its mandate includes television and radio,’ he said, ‘although new media is increasingly being viewed as an extension of broadcast and can be used in cross promotion.’

He added that Heritage research shows that in the U.K., the BBC has taken an extensive role in the dissemination of new media content — some of it unconnected to its programming, in areas such as health.

‘The BBC has put a lot of content online that is paid for through its licence fees,’ Blais said, referring to it as a ‘sort of cultural wealth.’

‘There could be a [new media] piece that the CBC shares in, like the BBC does,’ he added. ‘But there are a lot of [Canadian] institutions that could play a role, such as the National Library and Archives Canada, the national museums, the National Film Board, and Canadian Culture Online.’

A 2004 report by the Canadian Culture Online national advisory committee recommended that a new agency should be established, with a budget similar to the CBC’s, to preserve, fund and promote Canadian content in cyberspace, he added.

Before it began its look at the CBC, the committee again heard from new CRTC boss Konrad von Finckenstein. MPs reiterated some of the questions they had for him last week during hearings on the Canadian Television Fund — including why the CRTC task force will hold its consultations with industry players behind closed doors.

Von Finckenstein said the confidentiality would ensure producers could speak their minds, without fear of reprisal from broadcasters or distributors.

MP Charlie Angus also asked how the commission can be ‘fair and transparent’ when it has greenlit transfers of ownership — referring to recent radio deals in B.C. — without seeking comment.

‘You’ve caught me by surprise,’ responded von Finckenstein. ‘It’s just my third week on the job. I don’t know these cases. They are from last year when I wasn’t here.’