Schisms on financing CanCon still evident as government renews commitment to CTF

Amid industry glee that the government has restored its $100-million contribution to the Canadian Television Fund, schisms remain on just how Canadian programming, particularly drama, should be financed. Following the release March 23 of the ruling Liberal party’s budget, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) praised Prime Minister Paul Martin for renewing the government’s contribution to the public-private CTF over two years. But ACTRA national executive director Stephen Waddell also used the opportunity to state that the "government’s reinstatement of the CTF monies doesn’t let broadcasters off the hook." He has renewed calls for the private broadcasters to be forced to increase their licence fees for Canadian programming through CRTC obligations and incentives. "We’re obviously pleased that there is a two-year commitment to restore government funding to historic levels of $100 million. But in keeping with our view that that’s half the equation - maybe not even half of the equation - the other half of the equation in our view in terms of helping out this industry and helping out dramatic production is for Canada’s private broadcasters to put more money into production," Waddell tells Canadian Communications Reports. He called once again on the CRTC to rescind its 1999 TV policy and to re-introduce minimum spending requirements on Canadian programming for conventional broadcasters. But Glenn O’Farrell, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), reiterates contentions by the private broadcasters that sustainable and non-sustainable Canadian programming cannot be treated in the same way. "On the market sustainable (programming, such as news), there are no questions and queries. It’s clear. What is market sustainable is market sustainable. You make it and you do it," he tells CCR. "Is it useful and appropriate to pay more for a product that attracts audience? Absolutely. You pay more for a product that has legs in the marketplace, absolutely. But when it comes to product that doesn’t have the same kind of market sustainability, that’s where we have to look toward other sources of financing. That’s why today, we’re very, very encouraged by the news that the CTF contribution from the federal government will be re-established at $100 million because it gives us a sense that the environment and the context on a going-forward basis at least for the next two years is a little more bright and inviting and encouraging." O’Farrell also states that the two-year renewal will give the industry "that bit of predictability that we’ve been looking for" and the window to develop a multi-year plan for Canadian programming. He says that it appears that Canadian Heritage is moving forward on getting industry stakeholders together in the next few weeks to begin to hammer out such a plan. The government indicated in its budget that it would contribute $100 million to the CTF for 2004-05 and for 2005-06. During the Liberal party leadership race, which pitted former Canadian Heritage minister Sheila Copps against Martin, the Finance department cut its contribution to the CTF by $25 million over two years. But last year, an industry outcry led to the government advancing $12.5 million from this year’s budget to last year. That would have left the government’s contribution $37.5 million short this fiscal year, which begins April 1, but the budget has restored that amount to $100 million. The $100-million public contribution was particularly welcome as government estimates tabled February 24 allocated only $62.2 million to the CTF for 2004-05 (CCR Update, March 4/04). The renewal brought cheers from others in the industry. "Producers are happy about the budget announcement. It’s a real vote of confidence for the CTF. The additional dollars will help address the financing problems inherent in making Canadian-made TV," says Guy Mayson, president and CEO of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, (CFTPA) in a March 23 media release. "It’s a tough business, and the reality is the government has a role to play to encourage the industry to make Cancon." Maureen Parker, executive director of the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), states, "This money is a very welcome ray of light. A fully restored CTF means we can produce real stories written, directed and performed by Canadians. The additional year of funding gives Canadian screenwriters and the rest of the industry some much needed breathing room." Waddell estimates that the increased government funding is enough to finance two additional Canadian drama series consisting of 13 episodes each. But Ian Morrison, spokesman for the lobby group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, called on the government to do even more for Canadian programming. "Essentially what they’ve done is restored Sheila Copps’ television fund program and that is by no means adequate because there is still a huge supply-demand imbalance," he says. "That issue still sits there as a festering sore for the production community. …Some will praise it (the $100-million contribution), but all they’ve really done is gone back to square one, and square one is Sheila Copps’ initiative. Obviously, this government is going to have to do more than that."

Schisms on financing CanCon still evident as government renews commitment to CTF

News | 03/25/2004 5:00 am EST

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