MORE CBC/RADIO-CANADA NEWS, KIDS, AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE TO CANADIANS DURING COVID-19 CRISIS
Public broadcaster delivering special access to content across all of its platforms
Ottawa, March 26, 2020―To help Canadians through the current COVID-19 situation, CBC/Radio-Canada is delivering special access to content across all of its platforms, including trusted news and information to stay informed, educational resources for kids and parents, and a wide variety of programming to keep Canadians entertained when they need a break.
“The situation continues to change each day. Canadians need to know what’s happening and to understand what it means for them and for their family and friends. Our news teams are working around the clock to keep all Canadians on top of the latest developments here in Canada and around the world.”
“We’re also making sure that Canadians, many of whom are at home with their children, have access to programming that’s fun, entertaining, and educational. We’re here to help Canadians find the laughter, inspiration, and connection that we all need to get through tough times. We also want to invite all of our creators and Canada’s talent to the effort. Stay tuned for more developments each week, from CBC/Radio-Canada.”
Catherine Tait, President and CEO
Here is what’s new:
News
- CBC News Network is more widely available through participating TV distributors, including Bell TV, Cogeco, Eastlink, SaskTel, Shaw, Rogers, and TELUS. It is also streaming across Canada on CBC Gem, and around the world via the CBC News app and CBC.ca.
- ICI RDI is more widely available through participating TV distributors, including Bell TV, Cogeco, Vidéotron, Shaw, Rogers, and TELUS. It is available around the world via the Radio-Canada Info app and Radio-Canada.ca.
- COVID-19 newsletters from CBC and Radio-Canada include news and analysis, tips on prevention, and answers to coronavirus questions from Canadians.
- CBC’s Coronavirus Local Updates and Radio-Canada’s COVID-19 : ouvert ou fermé? show what’s open and closed in communities across the country, and link directly to relevant websites.
- Extended coverage on several current affairs shows, including an extra two hours of CBC Radio’s The Current, which now airs 8:30 am to 12 pm in most time zones, and additional evening episodes of the podcast, Front Burner. ICI RDI’s 24/60, which airs weeknights at 7 pm EDT, has added an additional hour, while ICI PREMIÈRE’s Midi info now airs a half hour earlier, starting at 11 am EDT.
- Live coronavirus trackers from CBC and Radio-Canada offer the latest data on the number of confirmed cases in Canada and around the world.
- To manage the thousands of questions we’re getting from Canadians, CBC has set up a new email, COVID@cbc.ca, and will endeavour to provide as many answers as possible across its programs and platforms.
- CBC and Radio-Canada are exposing mistruths and disinformation around the global pandemic. See some of CBC's COVID-Check unit work on false claims and conspiracy theories, and Radio-Canada’s Décrypteurs for more.
Kids and youth
- Curio.ca, CBC/Radio-Canada’s educational platform for all grade levels from primary through post-secondary, is available for free across the country.
- Both CBC Kids News and Radio-Canada’s MAJ are providing COVID-19 news coverage by and for young people.
- CBC Kids TV is airing an additional hour of programming on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. More information on CBC’s expanded content for children and parents is available here.
- On ICI TOU.TV and CBC Gem, CBC/Radio-Canada’s streaming services, more kids, youth, and family programming is available for free, including Find Me In Paris, Endlings, Detention Adventure, Molly of Denali, Mère & Fille, Papa épique, Nomades and Avec moi, as well the documentary series Marie-Mai : ma façon d’exister and Cheerleading.
Entertainment
- We’ve heard Canadians and see how the music community is rallying together to keep Canadian music alive. CBC Music’s weekday programming is now all-Canadian to help people come together through music. Stream it live at CBC.ca/listen or via the CBC Listen app. Working from home? The Radio-Canada OHdio app has a playlist for that, Pour le boulot à la maison!
- Both CBC Listen and Radio-Canada OHdio offer on-demand playlists and podcasts. On CBC Listen, audiences can enjoy More with Anna Maria Tremonti, Alone: A Love Story, Chosen Family, hosted by Thomas Leblanc and Tranna Wintour, and The Secret Life of Canada. On Radio-Canada OHdio, listeners will find Mademoiselle Julie, with Magalie Lépine-Blondeau, Louis-José Houde’s Le show caché 2, Adib Alkhalidey’s Je t’aime, and Korine Côté’s Mon show.
- Our streaming services are adding more free content to the 8,500 hours of programming already available. CBC Gem’s new content includes retro favourites such as Kids in the Hall, The Newsroom, and Slings & Arrows, and National Film Board documentaries What Walaa Wants, Beauty, and The Girls of Meru. ICI TOU.TV is offering free access to more programs, including Hubert & Fanny, Trop, and Plan B.
- In response to the postponement of the NHL season, CBC is offering Movie Night in Canada, a celebration of acclaimed Canadian films back-to-back on Saturday evenings.
- CBC/Radio-Canada specialty channels ICI ARTV and ICI EXPLORA are more widely available through participating TV distributors across Canada. ICI ARTV offers arts and cultural programming, while ICI EXPLORA focuses on science, environment, nature, and health.
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Version française: https://bit.ly/2wvoUlB
Media contact:
Leon Mar
Director, Media Relations and Issues Management | Corporate Spokesperson
Directeur, Relations avec les médias et Gestion des enjeux | Porte-parole institutionnel
cell. 647 616-5768
