Canadian French-language cable news channel
Ici RDI is a Canadian French-language specialty news channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (known in French as Société Radio-Canada). The channel began broadcasting on January 1, 1995, as Réseau de l'information (, "Information Network"). It is the French-language equivalent of CBC News Network.
Overview.
ICI RDI is distributed on basic cable and satellite television to 9.8 million homes, including two million in Quebec, and is seen by half a million English viewers each week. The channel has mandatory carriage status for viewers outside Quebec.
ICI RDI relies on the news-gathering resources of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation:
ICI RDI provides news, business, weather, and sports information on Air Canada's inflight entertainment and is seen in five major Canadian airports as "RDI express".
Ici RDI is likewise responsible for continuous news updates on all public screens in the Montreal Subway System.
Revenue.
According to the Canadian Communication's Monitoring Report - Broadcasting System 2014, there are 11.1 million subscribers to the channel and a revenue of $54.6 million.
Programming.
ICI RDI broadcasts full newscasts at the top of each hour and headlines every half hour from the newsroom of Maison Radio-Canada in Montreal and Quebec City. "Le Téléjournal Midi" is broadcast each weekday at noon and the main evening news bulletin "Le Téléjournal/Le Point" every evening live at 9:00 p.m. (eastern). These bulletins are also on the main French-language television network, Ici Radio-Canada Télé. The channel covers major events live from around the world, relying on a staff interpreter for simultaneous translation from English to French whenever necessary. It also rebroadcasts the main supper-hour bulletins from CBVT-DT Quebec City, CBAFT-DT Moncton and CKTV-DT Saguenay.
The channel also broadcasts factual programs in the form of food program "L'épicerie", current affairs in "Les Grand Reportages" (The Big Reports), science in Découverte (Discovery), and "Tout le Monde en Parlait" - a look back at past culture seen through the eyes of current events. During the weekend there is a greater amount of these programs, much in the same format as its English-language counterpart, the CBC News Network.
Current programs.
ICI Radio-Canada Télé Productions:
Past programming.
Former Governor General Michaëlle Jean hosted programs for both the English and French language CBC networks. She presented "Grands Reportages" on Ici RDI and "The Passionate Eye" on CBC News Network as well as having her talk show, called "Michaëlle". She also served as a substitute anchor on "Le Téléjournal".
Slogans and branding.
In January 2014, RDI changed its on-air brand to Ici RDI as part of a plan to rebrand all of the CBC's French-language outlets under a common brand.
High definition.
As with ICI Radio-Canada Télé, all programming aired on RDI began being produced in widescreen (and letterboxed on all standard definition feeds) on September 10, 2007. On May 2, 2008, RDI launched a high-definition simulcast, "RDI HD".
It is available on Bell Satellite TV, Bell Fibe TV, Cogeco, Optik TV, Rogers Cable and Vidéotron.
References.
 ;templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" / ;