More CTF money readily available

The Canadian Television Fund could be increased by $80 million simply by forcing BDUs to contribute the originally mandated 5% of revenues, the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) told the CRTC Monday as hearings into the CTF kicked off in Gatineau QC. With the CRTC entertaining ideas for new sources of CTF capital, CFTPA board member and president of Regina-based Minds Eye Entertainment Kevin DeWalt noted that since the fund's inception in 1994, numerous exceptions granted to BDUs have whittled their contributions to about 3% of revenues derived from broadcasting activities. Eliminating these exceptions, particularly ones for contributions pertaining to local expression, would immediately channel more money into the CTF. The CFTPA, the second intervener up after the CTF, for the most part provided a complementary presentation. The fund and the producers, however, disagreed on whether the CTF was over subscribed. "The notion of over-subscription of the CTF has virtually disappeared with the introduction of the Broadcaster Performance Envelopes," said CTF president Valerie Creighton, referring to the system that puts project determinations in the hands of broadcasters. "There used to be line ups for funding, but that is not the case anymore." CFTPA president and CEO Guy Mayson called this notion "a little bit of a myth," saying there is a huge demand in the system for more content. To illustrate, Breakthrough Films & Television executive producer and partner, and co-chair of the CFTPA broadcast relations committee, Ira Levy pointed out the exponential increase of television channels since 1994 and the need these channels have for programming. DeWalt noted that although a broadcaster may only have enough funding to trigger one project, it might develop 10. And, he added, even though the broadcaster will choose the program it believes has the most potential, that doesn't mean some of the undeveloped shows couldn't have been successful as well. "We are focusing on the projects that are being developed but are not getting off the ground because of lack of funds," said DeWalt. Of the projects that do get off the ground, the commissioners theorized that lowering the points requirement from 10 out of 10 to 8 out of 10, which would allow a foreign director or screenwriter, or two foreign lead actors, could increase the success of CTF-funded shows. On this matter the CTFPA and CTF were united. "Would 8 out of 10 increase success? It's possible," said Creighton. "But choosing that alternative means fewer Canadians would be involved in production." And CTF board chair Douglas Barrett added that while 8 of 10 programming may achieve more success internationally, that's not the mandate of the CTF. " market-driven funding stream with a lower point system threshold will diminish the "Canadianness" of productions and not necessarily result in popular programs," Julia Keatly, president of Keatly Entertainment, said during the CFTPA's opening remarks. "In fact, our most popular programs, like Corner Gas, The Border, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Degrassi: The Next Generation ReGenesis are all distinctly and identifiably Canadian. They also enjoy international audience success." Sandra Cunningham, president of Strada Films, carried this thought further when answering the commissioners' questions on the presumption that a private funding stream within the CTF, which would include a lower points threshold, would also increase audience success. "There's a mis-representation that the market isn't influencing the broadcasters' choices of what projects to fund with CTF money," she said. "And the recommendation of a private and public fund also assumes there is some way to set up a fund that guarantees hits. We're already trying to make audience successes." The CTF approached the separate funding streams argument mathematically. Creighton said the fund's obligations under its contribution agreement with Canadian Heritage account for about 61% of its budget, meaning if the fund were split into two streams the $120 million in public funding it receives wouldn't be enough to cover those obligations. While the CTF found a friend in the CFTPA on most issues raised Monday morning, that certainly won't be the case every day this week, particularly when CTF dissenters Shaw Communications and Quebecor Média inc. appear Thursday morning. Canadian Communications Reports will have more from Gatineau as the week progresses.

More CTF money readily available

Broadcast | February 5, 2008

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