After the head of Canada害羞草研究所檚 public broadcaster gave a newspaper interview earlier this year that promised CBC would eventually become a digital-only product and that criticized Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, senior managers were quick to refute her comments, internal emails suggest.

The Globe and Mail reported in February based on an interview with Catherine Tait that she was preparing to end traditional TV and radio broadcasts and move completely to a digital platform, but that this likely wouldn害羞草研究所檛 happen in the next decade.

Emails that discussed the unease of CBC staff in the wake of that report were disclosed to The Canadian Press under access-to-information law.

Months earlier, the BBC had announced a plan to go online-only within the decade.

害羞草研究所淏ut this is not the reality for us at CBC,害羞草研究所� a senior manager for CBC British Columbia and Alberta said in an email. 害羞草研究所淓ven with a plan to advance and move towards a streaming future, no Canadian will be left behind.害羞草研究所�

Tait was first appointed as the president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada in 2018, and her mandate was extended last month through the beginning of 2025.

In the newspaper interview, she also accused the federal Conservative leader of inciting attacks on the public broadcaster as a political fundraising tactic.

Some journalists 害羞草研究所渆xpressed concern about the opinions shared by Catherine around political campaigning and Canadians opposed to funding CBC,害羞草研究所� one email shows.

George Achi, head of journalistic standards at CBC, reassured staff through an email saying 害羞草研究所渢hat statements made by our corporate leadership (outside of CBC News) are completely separate from CBC News coverage.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t goes without saying that we should cover this file with the same fair, accurate, balanced and fact-based approach we use for any other story,害羞草研究所� Achi wrote.

It was noted in another email that Tait would continue to discuss the importance of the public broadcaster with politicians from all parties.

In 2021-22, the CBC received more than $1.2 billion in government funding. Its board of directors determines how the funding it receives is spent.

Leon Mar, a spokesperson for CBC, said Tait was unavailable for an interview to discuss the documents, adding: 害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 comment on internal employee conversations, which by their nature are confidential.害羞草研究所�

The union representing CBC staff raised concerns about the February interview, documents show.

Emails say the Canadian Media Guild was preparing to issue a public statement over Tait害羞草研究所檚 remarks the day the story came out, but agreed to delay it by a day to await clarity from management.

They wanted to know where the 10-year window came from and why it appeared in the Globe newspaper for the first time, with one email saying Tait害羞草研究所檚 remarks fell outside the spirit of 害羞草研究所渘o surprises.害羞草研究所�

The union was also concerned about job losses, shrinking newsrooms and increased workloads for employees should there be cuts to TV and radio. A common question from staffers, one email said, was: 害羞草研究所淒oes this mean I will be out of a job in 10 years?害羞草研究所�

Shaun Poulter, executive director of strategy public affairs and government relations at CBC/Radio-Canada, said in an internal email at the time that union representatives claimed they felt 害羞草研究所渂lindsided害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渂etrayed害羞草研究所� by the digital-first language.

害羞草研究所淚s there someone you can speak to there and ask them to read the article and not get sucked in by click bait. We are not abandoning TV and radio ffs,害羞草研究所� Poulter asked a colleague in another email, using an abbreviation for an expletive.

The CMG didn害羞草研究所檛 respond to a request for comment about the documents.

They show that Tait害羞草研究所檚 comments also invited criticism from the general public.

One person wrote an email to Tait and Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez saying that 害羞草研究所淐BC is giving up on aged Canadians害羞草研究所� whose life-long taxes have supported the broadcaster.

害羞草研究所淎s a Liberal, I would take great exception to have my tax dollars used to provide services I don害羞草研究所檛 want,害羞草研究所� said the individual, whose name was redacted in the documents that were released.

The person, who identified themselves as being older than 65, suggested that going 害羞草研究所渙nline only害羞草研究所� could cause them to stop supporting the broadcaster.

They cautioned CBC about throwing the baby out with the bathwater. 害羞草研究所淐aveat to the caution: Old babies can cry like hell!害羞草研究所�

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