EXCLUSIVE: CBC hides cost to make Rosie Barton, David Suzuki emojis
An exclusive investigation by Rebel News has revealed the receipts and approvals process to create customized #CBCemojis.
There's just one issue: the cost of hiring designers to create and revise the emojis featuring CBC personalities has been redacted.
This investigation is funded thanks to our viewers. To help us continue to hold the Trudeau Liberals and his government departments to account, please consider chipping in at RebelInvestigates.com.
CBC's custom emojis are currently available for Android and iPhone users to download from the CBC's official website and were originally designed over the summer of 2015, with further revisions in 2016.
Emojis released in two waves
According to a FAQ from the CBC,
This first release features a blend of vintage and current CBC characters and personalities as well as symbols of Canadian sports and broadcasting. We are currently gathering suggestions for a second release with new emojis, pending permission from production companies, estates and individuals who own the rights to the images.
Here's what we asked the CBC to hand over in July of this year:
Provide copies of all documents, including e-mails, texts or instant messages, slack messages, and WhatsApp messages, memos, briefing notes, media lines, Q&As, etc., regarding the proposal, drafting and issuing of CBC's emojis (https://www.cbc.ca/emojis) and documents showing all costs involved in the creation and release.
Most of the documents returned to us were sketches of the proposed and approved emojis, and dozens of pages were redacted.
“Make mouth smaller”: Approvals, revisions, executives?
While most of the emojis appear to have been approved quickly by the CBC, a revision was requested to make the mouth of the character Amy on Heartland "smaller".
Most of the emojis appear to be CBC characters or personalities from shows including 22 Minutes, and old shows such as The Beachcombers.
Rosie Barton was the only CBC journalist to be given an emoji.
Former CBC CEO Hubert Lacroix was also included (with the request to put him in a suit with glasses), as well as former CBC vice-president Heather Conway (to be depicted with a shirt, blazer and glasses.)
CBC redacts invoices
Invoices dated July 2 2015 (CBC emojis) and November 30 2015 (CBC Emojis, Additional Emoji characters and revisions) split the total cost of CBC's fees to Empirella Productions over two payments.
Both payment were redacted.
A third invoice dated July 12 2016 to digital production house YorkAttack (CBC Emojis, 8 new + revisions, Extra revisions) was redacted.
A fourth invoice, again to Empirella Productions was dated February 22 2016 (CBC Emojis, 18 new + revisions) was redacted.
Rebel News files hundreds of Access to Information requests a year.
Sometimes we get nothing, but sometimes we get something shocking and that makes it all worth it. To help us cover the cost of filing these requests, please help us out at RebelInvestigates.com.
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