The Knowledge Network board of directors has responded to a petition calling for CEO Rudy Buttignol (pictured) to be replaced following an audit report that revealed the B.C. public broadcaster spent few programming and commissioning dollars on racialized or Indigenous-owned companies.

“The Knowledge Network Board acknowledges the petition and the desire to improve equity behind it. Over the last year we have been working with people and organizations committed to accountability and meaningful change. We are grateful for the valuable feedback provided by members of the independent production community, and the insights that we gained as a result of the equity audit,” wrote board chair Maurine Karagianis in a statement provided to Playback Daily.

In February an independent audit revealed that Knowledge Network had not spent any commissioning dollars on Indigenous-led companies between 2014 to 2021 and 1.7% on racialized-owned prodcos. Its spend on commissions and licensed content from racialized-owned prodcos came to 7.1% in that same time period, falling to 3.9% for Indigenous-owned companies.

The Vancouver Asian Film Festival, the Racial Equity Screen Office, the British Columbia, Yukon and Northwest Territories chapter of the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC) and the Canadian Media Producers Association’s BC Producers branch were among the provincial stakeholders who called for an audit and for action in the wake of its results.

The B.C. pubcaster responded to the audit with the introduction of a three-year diversity, equity and inclusion action plan to increase the level of projects commissioned from Indigenous and racialized-owned companies. Since then Knowledge Network has hired filmmaker Gordon Loverin, of the Tlingit and Tahltan Nations in northwestern B.C., as producer, original documentaries.

The petition, which has more than 450 signatures as of press time, requests that the Knowledge Network board of directors instate “new visionary leadership” in the wake of the audit results. “Mr. Buttignol has overseen our provincial public broadcaster for 15 years and we find it unacceptable that the gatekeepers in charge of a climate of systemic inequity are now being entrusted with its overhaul,” wrote the petition.

It referenced a CBC article that quoted Buttignol as saying he had “major reservations” with the audit, noting that Knowledge Network had been more focused on the level of diversity within the key creative teams, including directors and writers, rather than within the production companies themselves. In the same interview Buttignol stated that the audit “did point to the fact we have a lot of work to do in addressing the change that’s been happening.”

Artist and filmmaker Meghna Haldar, one of the petition organizers, tells Playback Daily that they are currently working with a Vancouver City councillor with plans to present a motion to the city in support of the petition.

The statement from Karagianis did not explicitly address the call to replace Buttignol, but says that the board of directors is “responsible for setting the strategic direction of Knowledge Network and has set performance measures to ensure that we fulfill our commitment to improve equity and inclusion.”

“Knowledge Network has accepted the considerations and recommendations within the audit report and is moving ahead with a number of actions including new documentary development opportunities and investments in program licenses. We recognize that there is much work to be done to improve opportunities and access for equity-deserving filmmakers, including Indigenous and other racialized people, LGBTQ2IAS+ people, people with disabilities and women. Knowledge Network is committed to collaborating with equity-deserving independent production companies to champion their stories,” wrote Karagianis.