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A dispute over costs seems to be hampering efforts by CBC and CTV to reach a deal over French-language coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

A broadcast consortium that includes CTVglobemedia is trying to ensure francophone coverage for the entire country, and has already snagged the help of cable stations that will carry its service to roughly 96 per cent of the population.

But the consortium wants the public broadcaster’s help in reaching the rest of Canada — which the CBC says includes roughly 12,000 francophones outside of Quebec who do not receive satellite or cable service.

On Thursday, CBC president Hubert Lacroix told the standing committee on official languages in Ottawa that serious obstacles stand in the way of a deal, including CTV’s insistence that CBC absorb all costs associated with carrying the feeds and that CTV reap all the advertising revenue.

“I will tell you right now that we will not allow CBC/Radio-Canada to incur any cost in providing the service CTV purchased so that CTV can deliver a profit to its shareholders while we are laying off employees,” Lacroix said in French.

“That kind of bailout is completely irresponsible and we will not participate in it. We must be appropriately compensated for our production of the Games either by receiving adequate compensation from CTV or by selling advertising on our airwaves during the Olympics.”

The CBC is wrestling with a $171-million budget shortfall that Lacroix has said will force the elimination of up to 800 positions.

It’s also coping with a government-mandated spending review in which Ottawa told the CBC to identify five per cent of its budget that can be reallocated or cut. That would amount to roughly $50 million in programs and operations.

So far, the consortium has said the Olympic Games will be seen in French on the TV network TQS and the specialty services Reseau des sports (RDS) and Reseau info sport (RIS). It will also provide some French-language coverage on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.

The consortium announced Thursday that Corus Quebec will offer French radio coverage on 10 French-language stations across the province.

(source: Toronto Sun)