Looking ahead: measuring opinions on the upcoming CTF hearing

On February 4 the CRTC will commence a public hearing as part of its review of issues related to Canadian programming funding and the governance of the Canadian Television Fund. Excerpted below are some of the opinions on the key issues from those who will appear at the hearing. On introducing a private funding stream: "Shaw strongly supports giving BDUs the ability to re-direct their Canadian programming contributions to a new, voluntary private stream, independent of the CTF. That stream should distribute contributions based solely on investment and audience success." - Shaw Communications Inc. "The creation of a private sector funding stream would undermine the efficiency and effectiveness of the CTF and would have serious negative implications for the independent production sector." - CBC/Radio-Canada"DOC does not believe that there is a need to split the CTF into the proposed funding streams and that the result of this could be highly detrimental to the industry." - Documentary Organisation of Canada "There is absolutely no need to create two different funding streams as ‘cultural' and ‘market-driven' are not opposing concepts. Canada's greatest successes in terms of audience, critical reviews and financial return have been firmly rooted in Canadian culture and produced with the intention of finding a wide audience and earning as much revenue as possible....On a very practical level two streams would be costly to administer, result in a higher overhead and therefore less money on the screen, and for producers would add extra layers of complexity to navigating the funding waters." - Writer's Guild of Canada (WGC)"ACTRA believes that all CTF resources are public funds. Thus, ACTRA categorically rejects the recommendation that the CTF be split into two streams and that a "private sector" funding stream be implemented." - Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio ArtistsOn considering increased/new sources of funding: "Rogers intends to address a number of the issues...including but not limited to: Our opposition to additional funding sources for the CTF, including new or increased contributions to the CTF from video-on-demand and/or broadcasting distribution undertaking contributors." - Rogers Communications Inc. "BDUs should be required to increase their contributions to the CTF from 5% to 6%. The CCAU believes a portion of this additional 1% contribution should be directed to new media productions." - ACTRA"New funds to the CTF are needed for the creation of a broad range of high quality Canadian programming. The much-needed CTF monies should also fund ten point Canadian productions only." - Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) "Benefits packages and equity investments are not major sources of financing for the CTF. Even with benefits packages, over-the-air broadcaster spending on Canadian drama dropped from 4% in 2001 to 2.3% in 2006. Equity investments are an existing program with the CTF and not a new source of financing. It must be noted that it takes several years before revenue on equity investments start to flow back to the investors. Benefits packages and equity investment can contribute to CTF meeting its goals but cannot be relied on for new programs based on their inherent unpredictability." - WGC On measuring success: "Beyond accountability, the CTF must justify itself by proving that it strives to and succeeds in giving viewers value in return for their money. Whether and how the CTF is capable of doing this is a central issue for consideration at the upcoming hearing." - Shaw"Other factors suggested, such as financial returns, take years to flow back to a production and we cannot see how future financial return of a program can be guaranteed to the extent that it can be a factor in determining funding. Further, international sales do not speak to the needs of the Canadian audience and should therefore not be determining factors when making funding decisions which are to support the goals of the Broadcasting Act." - WGC "Audience success is not the only criteria that should apply. Audience numbers alone do not take into account the important cultural objectives of the Broadcasting Act. Further, audience numbers depend heavily on timeslot, consistent scheduling and significant promotion. Broadcasters have consistently banished Canadian programs to shoulder periods, summer months or Friday and Saturday nights when fewer Canadians are watching television." - ACTRAOn amending BDU regulations to officially mandate monthly contributions to the CTF: "DOC strongly supports this recommendation to avoid the BDUs de-stabilizing the Fund again in the future." "These regulations should be amended in order to ensure that BDUs make their contributions to the CTF on a monthly basis throughout the broadcast year." - DGC"Shaw strongly disagree with the Task Force's conclusion that...the mandatory BDU revenue allocation to the CTF remains appropriate."

Looking ahead: measuring opinions on the upcoming CTF hearing

Broadcast | January 10, 2008

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