CBC/Radio-Canada officially celebrates its 75th anniversary this Wednesday, November 2. Attached is a letter signed by President and CEO Hubert T. Lacroix to mark the occasion. We would appreciate the opportunity to share it with your readers.

We’ve attached two versions for your consideration: a longer and a shorter. Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.

Angus McKinnon
Manager, Media Relations and Issues Management
Chef, Relations avec les médias et gestion des enjeux
CBC/Radio-Canada
Tel.: (613) 288-6235
Cell: (613) 296-1057
angus.mckinnon@cbc.ca

Long version: 319 words

Yours to celebrate

November 2, 2011. Today is the 75th anniversary of Canada’s national public broadcaster – a hallmark of culture and democratic life in this country – one that is yours to celebrate, not just today but every day.

For 75 years, CBC/Radio-Canada has evolved alongside you and this great country. We’ve grown from a smattering of English-language radio stations to become a full-service broadcaster with a presence from coast-to-coast-to-coast. A public broadcaster that brings you radio, television, Internet, mobile and satellite-based services in French, English and aboriginal languages. We have embraced the technologies that continue to transform how we live, work and interact with each other. We’ve sought to tell the stories that connect us to each other, our communities, this country and the world—to create a space that we can proudly call our own as Canadians.

Today, Canada faces cultural challenges not unlike those that led to the origins of public broadcasting in this country. Content from the world over is available on countless platforms: citizens should have access to stories created by, for and about Canadians, and our expectations of what public broadcasting should be must continue to evolve – just as they have over the last 75 years.

How do we nurture a strong Canadian cultural identity? How do we ensure that we are exposed to world issues and events, and have access to a Canadian perspective on it? How do we sustain opportunities for national, regional and local expression? How do we encourage the discussions and debates that enrich our democratic life? And, how do we create a critical mass of stories that are inimitably Canadian?

Our strategy for the future is about working with Canadians everywhere to evolve in ways that allow us to take on these questions together and progress into the future. Today, CBC/Radio-Canada is yours to celebrate, and know that we are delighted to be a part of that with you.

Hubert T. Lacroix
President and CEO
CBC/Radio-Canada

Short version: 160 words

Yours to celebrate

November 2, 2011. Today is the 75th anniversary of Canada’s national public broadcaster – a hallmark of culture and democratic life in this country – one that is yours to celebrate, not just today but every day.

We’ve lived through so many historic events together since our first radio broadcast in 1936. We’ve embraced technologies that continue to transform how we live, work and interact. For 75 years, CBC/Radio-Canada has evolved alongside you, having grown from a few English-language radio stations to become a full-service broadcaster with a presence from coast-to-coast-to-coast in French, English and aboriginal languages.

Today, Canada’s cultural challenge persists. Content from anywhere is available on countless platforms. We look forward to bringing you more stories by, for and about Canadians. To being there where, when, and how you want us to be, and deepening our relationship with you.

Meantime, CBC/Radio-Canada is yours to celebrate, today especially. Know that we are delighted to join you in that.

Hubert T. Lacroix
President and CEO
CBC/Radio-Canada