A veteran Quebec TV executive has been chosen as the new president of CBC/Radio-Canada, sources tell Radio-Canada.
Marie-Philippe Bouchard will soon be named head of Canada’s public broadcaster, people familiar with the matter say. Le Devoir first reported the news on Tuesday.
Mr. Bouchard has served as President and CEO of TV5 Quebec Canada since 2016. Prior to that, he held several positions at CBC/Radio-Canada starting in 1987, including serving as Radio-Canada’s executive director of digital services and music until 2016.
Bouchard replaces Catherine Tate, who was appointed to a five-year term in 2018. Ms. Tait will become CBC/Radio Canada’s first female president and CEO. In 2023, her duties were renewed until January 3, 2025.
Bouchard takes over at a time when trust in the broadcaster is eroding among some Canadians.
Tate told CBC News last week that the company has work to do to rebuild trust among people who distrust the public broadcaster and its programming.
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poièvre has vowed to cut funding for public broadcasting if elected. Polls show Conservative voters are among those most likely to support abolishing the CBC.
“If we could turn back the clock, we would have started the conversation around trust sooner,” Tait said in an interview on the sidelines of the Public Broadcasting Conference International (PBI) in Ottawa last week. .
“We need Canadians to feel a sense of ownership of their public media services. People have become alienated from us and that’s the challenge going forward.”
