Radio-Canada is reversing its decision to rebrand itself as ICI, and is instead putting "Radio-Canada" back in its marketing and branding.
Last week, Radio-Canada, CBC's French-language sister station, made public its rebranding plan, aimed at providing a common identifier across all its platforms.
The main radio news and information station will now be renamed "ICI Radio-Canada Première." Under the rebranding announced on June 5, it would have been called "Ici Première."
But the announcement was met with widespread criticism and ridicule, even inviting scrutiny from the New York Times.
Radio-Canada president Hubert Lacroix said Monday afternoon that he has listened to Canadians.
"The thing I take most to heart is the attachment the people have to their public broadcaster," Lacroix said.
He said the reaction to the proposed name change was proof that Radio-Canada needs to maintain and strengthen its bonds to the population.
'Ici' won't replace Radio-Canada entirely
The word “ici,” meaning “here” in English, has long since been a tagline in Radio-Canada’s radio and TV reporting.
Marc Pichette, the company’s public relations director, last week highlighted the relationship Radio-Canada has had with the word “ici” over its 77 years of broadcasting, but said it would not replace Radio-Canada entirely.
"Radio-Canada exists, and it will always exist," Pichette said last Wednesday.
The company reportedly spent $400,000 on external consultants, while 95 per cent of the work was covered by existing communications budgets.
The move over to ICI was supposed to start Aug. 19.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/06/10/montreal-quebec-radio-canada-ici-rebranding....
