When a camera crew from Midwest Broadcasting showed up in Cold Lake AB to cover an air show, people there asked why they even bothered coming since the program wouldn’t reach many viewers because the channel wasn’t on satellite. That was a story Midwest VP of finance Glenda Spenrath recounted during a session at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) conference to illustrate the drastic effect out-of-market signals are having on a small market broadcasters. "The biggest thing is not being on satellite when 61% of our market has satellite. We need to be on satellite to reach our own people," she said.

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The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is demanding that the federal government intervene and tell the CRTC to implement spending requirements for the conventional broadcasters in wake of a recent decision that offers only incentives for the airing of Canadian TV drama (see article in this issue). Reiterating its call for more stick and less carrot, ACTRA national executive director Stephen Waddell says the CRTC in releasing its ads-based incentives program for Canadian drama has "failed to listen to the creative community which is dying out there." ACTRA wants the government to use its authority under section 7(1) of the Broadcasting Act to issue a policy directive to the regulator requiring private over-the-air broadcasters to spend as much on homegrown drama and series as they do in a year on foreign drama.

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A new advertising-based incentives program designed to boost the production of original Canadian TV drama is being criticized by some private broadcasters despite the fact that it lets them off the hook by not imposing expenditures (Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-93). The policy, released last week by CRTC chair Charles Dalfen at the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) convention, increases the number of advertising minutes that broadcasters can earn compared to the commission’s original proposal that was released in May (CCR, May 6/04). Despite the sweetened pot, some private broadcasters and producers complain about the complexity of the proposal, the fact that the CBC can also participate, uncertainty as to whether they will still be able to raise enough money to finance the genre, and doubts as to the availability of enough advertising to fill the extra time.

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The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Decima Reports.

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Heidi Bonnell, formerly press secretary to Brian Tobin and then a vice-president at Hill & Knowlton, has joined Rogers Communications Inc. as a director of government relations. No announcement was made of the appointment, but Bonnell recently registered as a federal lobbyist in connection with her new position.

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Clarifications
A brief item in the November 16 issue of Canadian NEW MEDIA incorrectly stated that Macromedia was responsible for the software development behind the CBC ZeD nomination for an Emmy award. The software development was performed by New Toronto Group. We apologize for the error.

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The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. has reorganized its new and emerging content channels, and put the most interactive under a single administrative umbrella. Late last month, the newly-minted executive director of digital programming and business development for CBC’s English-language services, Claude Galipeau, told Canadian NEW MEDIA that he’ll now be responsible for the continued growth and development of new and established digital programming and related services. Claude was executive director of CBC.ca. His colleague Sue Gardner has been appointed senior director of CBC.ca as part of the shakeup.

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Content applications company Macromedia is steadily expanding its presence in Canada as the company finds increased traction for its fast-growing portfolio of projects. The company has recently expanded to 10 people in its Toronto offices, and is hoping to find new office space to house its sales operations in this country. Though the Canadian market has lagged behind Macromedia’s U.S. home base, country manager Ray Miller tells Canadian NEW MEDIA that some of its products, such as the Breeze online collaboration tool, have enjoyed recent success in Canada, and that participation by the company in local user groups and communities is helping spread the word about the company’s tools.

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Though exact details won’t be revealed for months, the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) says a $3-million investment by TELUS Corp. will help it strengthen its activities across the film, new media and television sectors. The investment was announced November 24, and sees TELUS’ broadcast and new media fund fall under the film centre’s administration, and re-dubbed the TELUS Innovation Fund for Film, TV & New Media (TELUS Fund).

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