Media Decoder: Quick Reversal for Plan to Rename Canadian Broadcaster

Quick Reversal for Plan to Rename Canadian Broadcaster

OTTAWA â€" After several days of widespread public ridicule and political criticism, the government-owned Radio-Canada on Monday partly backed away from a plan to rename most of its television, radio and online service “ICI,” the French word for “here.”

The new name came from the broadcaster’s longstanding on-air identification â€" “Ici, Radio Canada” â€" and was an attempt to give the French-language TV and radio broadcaster a concise, common name to its various operations.

But the change, particularly the loss of the word “Canada” didn’t sit well with many Canadians â€" French and English speaking alike. Among them was James Moore, the cabinet minister responsible for the $1 billion given to Radio-Canada and its English language counterpart, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, each year.

“Radio-Canada has heard the message loud and clear that the public has been sending us over the past few days,” Hubert T. Lacroix, the president and chief executive of C.B.C./Radio-Canada, said in a statement. “We recognize people’s powerful connection to everything that Radio-Canada stands for.”

Mr. Lacroix said that the ICI rebranding plan, which cost the broadcaster $400,000 to develop, will be modified. The main television and radio networks as well as its primary Web site will now include Radio-Canada along with ICI in their names. The television network, for example, will become ICI Radio-Canada Télé. Secondary services will carry just the ICI prefix. For example, the broadcaster’s less popular radio network that airs mainly music will adopt the name ICI Musique.

At least some of the controversy about the new name will linger.

In March, Radio-Canada launched a lawsuit against the International Channel/Canal International, or ICI, which is licensed to open a new television station in Montreal, which will start broadcasting programs in 17 different languages later this year. Sam Norouzi, the owner of the new station, said that the government broadcaster is challenging the trademark rights to ICI that he obtained last year.

Mr. Norouzi said he was considering legal action of his own against Radio-Canada’s rebranding.

“I think it will create confusion,” he said. “I have a trademark and I would like to have it respected.”