Marie-Philippe Bouchard, a veteran TV exec based in Quebec, is reportedly set to be named president and CEO of Canada’s public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada.
Bouchard’s appointment, which was first reported by Quebecois publication Le Devoir and subsequently reported by CBC News, will see her succeeding current CBC/Radio-Canada boss Catherine Tait in January.
Bouchard is currently the president and CEO of French-language specialty network TV5 Québec Canada. Before taking that role in 2016, she spent nearly 30 years with CBC/Radio-Canada in various roles including general manager of music and digital services.
C21 contacted the Department of Canadian Heritage, which is responsible for selecting the next CBC/Radio-Canada head, but its request for comment had not been returned at time of press. A spokesperson for the CBC also referred C21 back to the Department of Canadian Heritage when approached for comment.
The identity of Tait’s successor has been the subject of keen industry speculation for months, with rumours flying about who might be chosen.
Tait, who was the first ever woman to lead the organisation, has held the post for more than six years. Initially, in 2018, she was appointed on a five-year term, before receiving an 18-month extension in the spring of 2023.
Bouchard is stepping into the top job at CBC/Radio-Canada at a very challenging time. The organisation has been regularly accused of bias, particularly by Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who has vowed to defund the broadcaster if he is elected. According to all major polls, Poilievre is the frontrunner to become the next Prime Minister. As it stands, current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose approval rating has continued to fall according to most polls, has until next October to call a federal election.
Speaking at C21’s Content Canada last month, Tait said the pubcaster was in a “very vulnerable situation” and that more needs to be done to ensure its function and funding is preserved.
While reflecting on the successes and regrets of her tenure, Tait said she wished she had been able to more effectively communicate the importance of public broadcasting to Canadians.
“I spend a lot of time talking to Canadians about why public broadcasting matters more than ever. I’m not sure it’s landed and that is a regret – that I have not been successful at a call to action to activate Canadians,” she said.
She added: “Perhaps my successor and others that I leave behind will take up and be more successful in communicating the urgency. But the public broadcaster in this country is under existential threat.”…Read more by
