ACTRA, broadcasters, dispute fall Canadian TV schedules following U.S. shopping spree

Shaw Media Inc. and Bell Media Inc. are challenging comments from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) that Canada's big broadcasters aren't featuring enough Canadian programming this fall. ACTRA said in a release last week that, for all the money the broadcasters spent on programs during the their annual Hollywood shopping spree, their fall TV schedules don’t feature enough Canadian drama, and the CRTC should step in. “With the CRTC’s new group-based policy and accompanying spending requirements taking effect, ACTRA had hoped that broadcasters would be a featuring a significant slate of Canadian scripted, dramatic programming in their prime time. Instead the fall schedules of the conventional networks mirrors the American networks,” the group said in a June 2 release, calling Canadian broadcasters “nothing more than simulcasters” of U.S. shows. ACTRA said CRTC numbers show that Canadian broadcasters spent more than six times as much money buying U.S. and foreign programming than they did on Canadian drama last year. In a breakdown of programming expenditures for 2010, the CRTC said broadcasters spent $552 million on non-Canadian drama versus $72 million on Canadian drama. But when Bell, Shaw, and Rogers Communications Inc. outlined their fall schedules last week, all of them promoted their Canadian content lineups. ACTRA said that in addition to the new group licensing framework—which requires broadcasters to spend a percentage of revenues on Canadian drama—the CRTC should implement exhibition benchmarks ensuring Canadian drama airs in prime time (Sunday to Friday, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.) on conventional television as well as specialty channels. Barbara Williams, senior vice-president of content with Shaw, said Canadian drama is already situated in the prime time spotlight. “Rookie Blue 2 is about to launch in prime time on Global. Combat Hospital is going to launch in a couple weeks in prime time on Global. Those are two huge drama series, both in simulcast with ABC, which is exciting for the Canadian production community ... To say that we don’t put drama in prime time is a mistaken idea,” she said. “I don’t think the CRTC needs to mandate anything. We are all demonstrating here that we have real commitment and support for these shows.” Bell Media, which owns CTV and the A Channel stations, said the Canadian-made police drama Flashpoint is coming back for a fifth season and The Listener, set in Toronto, will return for a third. The Borgias, a Canada-Hungary-Ireland co-production, is back for season two. Bell also touted a new Canadian-made movie, The Horses of McBride, and said pilot episodes for Saving Hope (a hospital drama) and Stay With Me (a legal drama) will begin shooting in Toronto this summer. Bell said its summer lineup includes new episodes of Canadian comedy programs Hiccups, Comedy Now! and Dan for Mayor, as well as the So You Think You Can Dance Canada competition. A new Canadian scripted drama, Highland Gardens, sketch-comedy show Picnicface, teen drama Degrassi, horror-comedy series Todd and the Book of Pure Evil, and sci-fi show Sanctuary have also been ordered, the company said. Bell also unveiled Bell Benefits, a $100 million programming investment in programs of national interest, and pitches for scripted drama and comedy are now being accepted. The company announced this week that it’s rebranding its A Channel network as CTV Two. The network will expand in the Toronto-Hamilton area and news programming will be rebranded under the CTV News banner. Bell Media president Kevin Crull said in a release that the company is “committed to the viability of the A stations.” Bell Media spokeswoman Laura Heath Potter said by email that Bell has proven its “commitment to scripted programming” with three series orders, an original movie and two scripted pilots in the works. “CTV's track record speaks for itself,” she said. “We have been, and continue to be, a leader in Canadian programming.” Rogers was not available for comment. Anne Trueman, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), said the group is pleased about the Bell Benefits program and that broadcasters are “promoting the high quality of Canadian programming they will be airing this fall.” She said the independent production sector “will soon be producing even more scripted drama, comedy, documentaries and award shows that will be shown on Canadian screens ... “We believe that this increase in high-quality Canadian content will further strengthen the health of the Canadian Broadcasting sector. More production will also mean more jobs and investment into Canada’s creative economy.” Shaw’s fall schedule includes 15 new scripted dramas in the works for next year, including Combat Hospital, about medical and military personnel at the NATO Multinational Medical Unit at Afghanistan’s Kandahar Airfield; The Firm, a series based on the John Grisham legal-caper novel, filmed in Toronto; and Bomb Girls, a six-part series about women building bombs on the assembly line in a 1940s munitions factory. Canadian shows Rookie Blue and Lost Girl also both return. On Shaw’s specialty channels, Top Chef Canada is back for a second season on the Food Network, The Real Housewives franchise gets a Canadian spin with Real Housewives Vancouver on Slice, and W. Brett Wilson (formerly of Dragon’s Den) has a new show called Risky Business, also on Slice, where couples pit their investing chops against the businessman’s top stock picks. On Global, Shaw is launching a morning program for the Toronto market, The Morning Show. Shaw also said it would launch new morning shows in the Maritimes, Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon in an effort to revitalize morning show programming in those areas. Global Edmonton and Global Calgary will expand their morning shows to seven days a week from six. Rogers announced the airing of Canada’s Got Talent and Secret Millionaire Canada—both based on U.K. shows—on its Citytv stations. Murdoch Mysteries, set in 19th-century Toronto, returns as well. The company also announced the launch of a 24-hour news channel, CityNews. news@thewirereport.ca

ACTRA, broadcasters, dispute fall Canadian TV schedules following U.S. shopping spree

News | 06/06/2011 5:49 pm EDT

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