CanCon review panel announcement draws mixed reaction

Heritage Canada’s announcement of an expert advisory panel for its review of Canadian content in a digital age, which includes representatives from a number of broadcasters, was met with both praise and criticism Tuesday. The panel will “provide advice and ongoing feedback” to the Heritage Minister during the consultations and review, the heritage department said in a press release Tuesday. The 12 members of the panel “represent a cross-section of the Canadian arts and culture sectors,” the release added, noting members were “selected on the basis of their personal experience, expertise and ability to generate and inspire innovative ideas.” The panel includes Kenneth Whyte, Rogers Communications Inc.’s executive vice-president, Jean La Rose, chief executive officer of the Aboriginal People’s Television Network (APTN) and Michael Donovan, executive chairman of DHX Media Ltd. Also in the group are Lisa de Wilde, the CEO of Ontario public broadcaster TVO and Catherine Cano, president and general manager of the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), according to a background document. They will be joined by Ron Blackie, the co-CEO of St. John’s, N.L.-based Take the Shot Productions, actor Katie Boland and Loc Dao, the chief digital officer of the National Film Board of Canada‘s (NFB) digital studio, as well as Charles Falzon, the dean of the faculty of communication and design at Ryerson University. The list also includes Justin West, president of Montreal-based Secret City Records and Secret City Publishing, Monique Savoie, founder of Montreal non-profit Society for Arts and Technology (SAT) and Phillipe Lamarre, president of the Société des designers graphique du Québec. The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) said in a press release Tuesday that it is “very encouraged by the breadth and depth of experience of the individuals named to the panel, and are particularly pleased to see the inclusion of voices from Canada’s independent production sector.” However, independent consultant Kelly Lynne Ashton said the panel has too many people “who are invested in the legacy system and framework.” She added: “What worries me about this panel is that it may mean that the consultation really won't be about new ideas and thinking outside the box.” Additionally, the panel has little diversity and no representation from digital media producers (aside from Dao, who works for the NFB), she said. Ashton also questioned the inclusion of CPAC, given that the channel isn’t focused on creating or distributing content. Independent broadcasting consultant and lawyer Peter Miller said in a phone interview that the panel has “the different segments of the creative industry sector represented,” such as broadcasting and production, though “by nature of trying to keep this to a certain size, it doesn’t have all the different voices represented,” like all the major Canadian broadcasters. “I think they struck a reasonable balance,” he added. “This is a body to be sounding board and I think they’ll be able to do that.” The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) didn’t criticise or praise the announcement in its press release following the announcement, stating that “ACTRA performers are looking forward to speaking up for Canadian culture and cultural industries.” The panel members will “offer independent advice and insight into policy directions emerging from the consultations and departmental analysis; they will not have decision-making authority, nor will they be required to draft a formal report,” a separate Heritage document outlined. The group’s work will take place between June 2016 and January 2017, while the panel is expected to meet with Joly “in person or by video conference approximately five times,” the release outlined. It said that the government received almost 10,000 responses to its pre-consultation questionnaire, which are being analyzed and will “develop the framework that will guide the consultations.” A consultation plan will be announced in summer 2016, while “Canadians will have opportunities in the fall to express their views,” it added. — With reporting by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca and editing by Charelle Evelyn at cevelyn@thewirereport.ca

CanCon review panel announcement draws mixed reaction

Broadcast | June 28, 2016

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CanCon review panel announcement draws mixed reaction

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