OTTAWA — CBC had 6,000 hours of unused and improperly managed programming at its French and English TV networks, and ‘no concrete’ means of measuring the success or failings of its strategic plan when it last came under review, in 2005, by auditor general Sheila Fraser, according to testimony delivered Tuesday before Parliament’s heritage committee.

Speaking to MPs who are partway through a review of CBC’s performance, Fraser noted a ‘lack of performance measures in its strategic plan,’ improper tracking of broadcasts, and accounting differences that made it impossible to compare the English-language network with its French sister, Radio-Canada.

If the Ceeb had the rights to air a show four times, there was no one to check whether those airings occurred, she noted.

‘I’m not commenting on whether the amount [of excess programming] is appropriate or not, but these are assets that are paid for and we expect the CBC to know if they have been used,’ Fraser said, adding that private broadcasters tend to manage their programming better.

And yet the auditor general, known for her sometimes stern criticism of government agencies, defended the Ceeb on the often controversial matter of its appointment process, and sidestepped the equally hot button of its budget.

MPs pressed Fraser on the appointment of top-level network execs, a process said by critics to be too political. ‘You have to recognize that the CBC is a Crown corporation,’ Fraser answered. ‘The government is the shareholder of the CBC, and it is usually the shareholder who appoints the president. The real issue is to make sure you have the skills and competencies needed around the table.’

Asked about the budget, she said the matter was outside her duties as auditor general, adding that it is up to management to ensure that the government knows how much money the public broadcaster needs to fulfill its mandate.

Fraser’s testimony was based on her 2005 audit of the CBC. She acknowledged some changes have already been made — such as the appointment of a manager on the English side to keep tabs on TV programming — and that others are in the works.

‘Strategic planning is a critical guide to facing changes down the road,’ such as new technologies and audience fragmentation, Fraser noted. ‘The corporation has to have a strategic plan that identifies those challenges and the changes that will be made as a result.’

The next full audit of the CBC by the auditor general won’t take place until 2010. Heritage Minister Bev Oda is due to appear before the committee next week.