New media industry in the dark about CTF changes

Some $25 million in proposed new media funding will be up for debate beginning February 4 at the CRTC's proceeding on the Canadian Television Fund Task Force Report. So how come no dedicated new media companies or industry associations will be participating? The short answer is that most of them didn't know about it. New Media BC president Kenton Low, Lifecapture Interactive Inc. president and CEO Geoff Whitlock and Trapeze Media VP and creative director Mike Kasprow were all aware of the CTF and its turmoil last year, but until they were called for an interview none knew of the upcoming hearing or the $25 million Task Force recommendation. It's safe to assume they are not alone; of the 48 interveners set to appear before the commission next week, only the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund conducts the majority of its business in the new media space. The fund's expertise should prove useful to the CRTC in examining all of the Task Force's recommendations that pertain to new media, which in addition to the $25 million include exploring new means of permitting broadcasters and producers to exploit new media platforms related to the CTF, and amending the CRTC policy on certified independent production funds to allow such funds to support new media projects. "Certainly given that there are portions of relating to allocating of funding to new media initiatives I would agree that it does seem odd that new media isn't represented," says Low, who replaced Lynda Brown as the head of BC's new media industry association in October. "It would be really nice to have somebody there who could articulate at least some salient points about the industry and what's going on," adds Kasprow. "I have yet to hear an industry association that can eloquently illustrate what's going on in the industry, where opportunity lies, where innovation exists and that's partly because not a lot of people have sought the input of people like me or people who work in companies like mine."Formed in June 2005, the Canadian Interactive Alliance Interactive Canadienne (CIAIC) was supposed to provide a voice for Canada's new media sector on issues of industry-wide importance. However, considering the CIAIC only added its first dedicated staff member in September, it has a lot of ground to make up in terms of regulatory experience on the likes of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and the Canadian Film and Television Production Association. The CIAIC told Canadian New Media that it was monitoring the CTF situation with great interest, but didn't comment further. The embryonic position of new media in the regulatory space is to be expected; it is after all called new media. "Things like this have occurred in the broadcasting industry for years and new media, I wouldn't say it's uncharted territory, but I'm sure there has not been a lot of policy that has affected or impacted new media," says Low. "But certainly there are groups like the CIAIC in all these areas provincial groups that are working to help shape public policy as it helps relate to new media companies. So, in time." Whitlock adds that the lack of regulatory knowledge exists in part because the new media industry hasn't relied on entities like the CTF to grow. "Right now we don't have very many places to go dig into a $200 million pile and I'm not so sure we ever will," he says. "Ultimately if there is more money to dig into, then more companies will dig into it. But we have a lot of businesses and a lot of companies who rely on our services right now so we can be cash rich without having to dig into the government's pocket."And even if the CRTC mandated the CTF to allocate funds to new media, it's not certain the industry would want it. According to Kasprow, that's the first step down a slippery slope. "Obviously the great fear is that when you start to flirt with this sort of stuff, and you start to get into these definitions of platforms and distribution of dollars et cetera, all of a sudden it's a matter of regulation of a medium that ought not to be regulated," he says. "And that's the fear. You don't want to get into those kinds of battles."However, Whitlock, Kasprow and Low all say they would have liked to intervene at the hearing or had some representation, if for nothing more than to field the commission's questions. Whitlock mentions that it would be wise for some CTF money to be available for new media at the producers' discretion, if only to keep websites that support shows up to date."By putting more money into interactive and allowing the television show to properly market itself online, that might even push more to the show and sell more advertising, make people happier, and then boom there's more money in the CTF."

New media industry in the dark about CTF changes

Broadcast | January 28, 2008

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