We tell stories every day that have the ability to divide or unite: CBC Canada champions diversity #RDE16

Susan Marjetti, the Executive Director of Radio at CBC Canada, gave her organisation “a demographic wake up,” when she joined from the private sector.
 
“Relevance has got harder” in this diverse multi media world but Marjetti believes that being inclusive of a diverse range of ethnic, religious, cultural and language backgrounds is one of the secrets to staying relevant and growing your audience.
 
She told a story about when she did an exercise in an Art Class and realised that everything can be seen from many perspectives and points of view. A broadcasting organisation with only one dominant type of employees is missing out on seeing different perspectives in issues and many potential stories to cover.
 
When she joined CBC radio she changed employment policies and grew the number staff from diverse backgrounds from less than 10% to a goal of 30%.
 
“We started going to the communities and bringing those voices and perspectives to the microphone… On our metro morning show, we began to tell the stories from those communities,” she told Radio Days.
 
Metro morning became a case study for diversity at CBC radio.
 
“The mission was to look and sound like the city of Toronoto in all its diversity to be more relevant and meaningful to more people… If you are more relevant and meaningful to more people you will grow audience.”
 
Her approach happened across three areas: hiring, editorial and outreach.
 
“We have choices every day about which people we interview and which stories we put on air. Choose to tell the ones that reach out to the most people… Find the universal nature of a story.
 
“We are telling stories every day that either have the ability to divide or unite. Let’s choose to unite,” she said.
 
 
 
See our other Radio Days Europe 2016 reports here.

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