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CMF triggers $1.4B in production activity, says annual report

From a media release:

The Canada Media Fund(CMF) released today its bilingual annual report for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. The report outlines the CMF’s role in supporting Canada’s audiovisual industry, as a driver of Canada’s growing digital economy. Click here to access the 2015-2016 CMF Annual Report.

As detailed in the report, the CMF provided $371.7M in funding to Canadian television and digital media projects in 2015-2016. A total of 541 television and related digital media productions were supported through its Convergent Stream, and 104 innovative and interactive digital media projects through its Experimental Stream. This investment in Canada’s audiovisual content industry triggered a total of $1.4B of production activity, an 8.4 per cent increase from the previous year.

In 2015-2016, the CMF pursued with its objective of developing international opportunities for Canadian producers by renewing or developing new international incentives encouraging codevelopment and coproduction of content between Canadian and international producers. Agreements were renewed with Belgium, Brazil, and New Zealand, while new agreements were developed with Australia and Italy.

In addition to its financial support, the CMF continued to provide valuable industry intelligence to stakeholders. In 2015-2016, the CMF published 10 research reports, as well as 67 blog posts on CMF Trends.

The annual report also provides information on a number of CMF initiatives designed to promote the success of Canadian content, including national red carpet events throughout the country and international partnerships and participation at events in Brazil, Colombia, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The CMF, along with Telefilm Canada and the Canadian Media Producers Association, continued their support of the Eye on Canada initiative by building on the content available to Canadian and international audiences through Eyeoncanada.ca.

The online annual report has a feedback section, inviting visitors to the site to share their views and comments on the report. This valuable input will help shape the way the CMF reports on its activities.

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Canadian Culture at Risk: The Attack on Canadian Creators

It’s more than a regulatory change; it’s an attack on Canadian creators. The CRTC’s decision in the review of “Certified Independent Production Funds” (CIPFs), released Aug. 25, 2016, had insupportable news: the minimum CAVCO point requirements for CIPFs to fund a production were dropped from eight to six. One stated reason: “[It could] facilitate the hiring by production companies of non-Canadian actors or creators, who may increase a project’s attractiveness and visibility in international markets.”

“This is hugely disappointing,” says WGC Executive Director Maureen Parker. “That the CRTC, a public authority charged with regulating Canadian broadcasting, would effectively denigrate Canadian showrunners and screenwriters and suggest our country’s creators cannot deliver international success is shocking. It’s also verifiably untrue.”

The CRTC decision is not, however, an isolated instance of what the WGC views as an entirely misguided outlook. It’s an increasingly pervasive view that suggests Canadian tax dollars should not be put towards productions created by Canadians. This unfortunate notion — that reducing the presence of Canadian talent is the ticket to more international funding — is taking hold.

Earlier this summer, the Canada Media Producers Association (CMPA) released “An International Comparative Study,” (with funding from the Canada Media Fund, Telefilm Canada, and the Ontario Media Development Corporation), comparing how national content is defined in Canada to “selected” non-English speaking countries. The study leans heavily on the notion that Canada needs more “flexibility” in its funding requirements. “Flexibility” is simply code for “elimination”: the elimination of Canadian creators. The study lays the groundwork for Canadian TV to be all about business affairs — who produces it — not who creates it. But the aim of creating Canadian TV should not be the financial gain of producers.

The “eat our own young” thinking goes back at least as far as the CRTC’s “Let’s Talk TV” decision of 2015. In it the Commission repeatedly emphasized increased international sales and markets as a primary goal. Of course Canadian screenwriters want their shows to be internationally successful — and they are. But this decision is not really about international success, it’s really about money, and more international financing in exchange for scrapping our talent.

The future of Canadian culture cannot lie in eliminating the Canadians who create it. Unless the goal is to have our highly experienced talent (and our young up-and-comers) respond in the way some are now saying they will, by leaving Canada. Our Liberal government needs to uphold the principles of the Broadcasting Act before all of our creative talent goes south. The government needs to wake up: now.

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Reaction to CRTC’s Policy framework for Certified Independent Production Funds

By Anonymous 

UPDATE: If the intent is to attract “top talent” that will make all these new “American” Canadian shows more viable, the CRTC should probably know that even some of the most successful Canadians in L.A., like the showrunner/creator of Bones, isn’t impressed.

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Canadian Television is about to become slightly less full of Canadians, thanks to a major CRTC decision released quietly yesterday.

The CRTC is allowing the independent production funds (including the Shaw Rocket Fund, Rogers Fund, Cogeco Program Development Fund, Telefilm Canada, and the Harold Greenberg Fund) to reduce their “point system” for what determines Canadian-ness of a project from 8 to 6. The general effect of this will be to allow for the hiring of non-Canadians in key creation and starring roles (ie: Americans will be able to create and star in “Canadian” TV series).

This, in fact, by the CRTC’s own admission, was one of the points of the decision:

“The current criterion requiring eight out of 10 Canadian content certification points to qualify for CIPF funding is restrictive and excludes many productions that could otherwise be of high quality and qualify as Canadian. Moreover, a reduced requirement could help smaller and perhaps more innovative projects to qualify for funding. A reduced requirement of at least six points could also facilitate the hiring by production companies of non-Canadian actors or creators, who may increase a project’s attractiveness and visibility in international markets.”

Reaction from the Canadian creative community was swift, and critical.

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Zmak

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What’s particularly unusual about this decision is that something with far-reaching implications was done as a “paper hearing,” ie: the CRTC did not hold any public consultations.

The last time something like this was proposed, the Writers Guild of Canada brought a group of screenwriters to Hull to appear before the commission. They made a convincing case as to why this “flexibility” wouldn’t lead to better quality Canadian programming. It seems that current chairman J.P. Blais was determined to not repeat this exercise.

Of concern to fans of actual Canadian TV shows, of course, is the fact that once again in no way was the audience consulted. The CRTC didn’t bother to seek out or try to understand the feelings of fans who celebrate unique Canadian points-of-view and creative directions on display in Canadian-created shows such as Orphan Black, Flashpoint, X Company, Letterkenny, Wynonna Earp, Lost Girl, Rookie Blue, Saving Hope, Motive, or many more.

As Peter Mitchell, executive producer and showrunner of Murdoch Mysteries explained on Facebook, even the premise of the CRTC’s decision is faulty:

Mitchell

The problem with the CRTC’s decision is that it really doesn’t advance any new idea. Many Canadian producers have been doing their level best to copy “American-style” shows for years, watering down the Canadian creative role as much as possible. They never seem to do as well as the original work such as Orphan Black or Murdoch Mysteries. That’s why you’re not seeing Season 4 of the forgettable XIII, and why Houdini & Doyle, which debuted to so much fanfare, died a quiet death.

The idea that Canadian producers will be able to attract top American talent is dubious at best. Because if you’re American, and you’re working in the American industry where there’s more money, and more prestige, why would you take a massive pay cut to work in Canada? Instead of top American talent, you’re likelier to get the people who can’t get hired anymore, who might have had credits in the 1980s or 1990s. And now the CRTC has blessed the idea that these marginal players are more valuable than the top homegrown talent who are responsible for the industry’s top successes.

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Filia

There are other ways to approach the idea of creating hits, rather than this failed road. But the CRTC seems to be enamored with the fantasy that “flexibility” fixes all, rather than actually supporting talent.

WGC

And the best part? A government that ran at least partially on a platform of promoting culture is signalling to the next generation of storytellers not to bother—that it’s time to leave:

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Natty

So there’s nothing good here if you’re a Canadian writer or actor hoping to star in or create a Canadian show. Or if you’re someone who likes the unique point of view you see from Canadian TV shows. But the producer’s association loves it. I’m sure you’ll be getting something great from that writer who did one episode of Simon & Simon any day now.

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Great news, isn’t it?

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CRTC: Policy framework for Certified Independent Production Funds

The Commission has reviewed its policy framework for Certified Independent Production Funds (CIPFs) to ensure that CIPFs contribute to the development of a robust Canadian production sector and that they have the flexibility necessary to operate in an increasingly multi-platform environment. A robust and forward-looking Canadian production sector will be better able to offer compelling high-quality content to Canadians and to global audiences. 

The Commission is making the following changes to its policy framework:

  • Eliminating the requirement that producers obtain a broadcast licence or development agreement to receive CIPF funding.
    This will foster innovation and provide flexibility to both the CIPFs and producers to fund and create a wide variety of productions, destined for all platforms. 
  • Redefining “new media content” to include only “non-programming digital content” and maintaining the 10% cap on funding for such content. No limits will be placed on the funding of programming regardless of the platform on which it may be broadcast.
    This will ensure CIPF funding is focused on programming content that will enhance and benefit the Canadian broadcasting system. 
  • Allowing CIPFs to fund productions achieving at least six Canadian certification points, and include the pilot projects recognized by the Commission.
    A reduction in the minimum Canadian certification points requirement will allow more productions to be eligible for CIPF funding. Canadian production companies will be able to benefit from expertise from abroad. 
  • Including co-ventures in productions eligible to receive CIPF funding.
    Permitting CIPFs to fund productions that are created in collaboration with non-treaty international partners will give Canadian producers involved in co-ventures access to a new funding stream and will assist in the discoverability of these projects and of the Canadian talent involved. 
  • Allowing and encouraging CIPFs to allocate funding for script and concept development.
    This type of funding will give producers the ability to produce higher quality and “exportable” productions by allowing them to better develop their project or concept at an earlier stage of production.
  • Allowing and encouraging CIPFs to allocate funding for promotion and discoverability.
    Funding promotion and discoverability is an important element in the success of a project.
  • Requiring all CIPFs to introduce a system to measure success.
    Instituting evaluative measures that examine the success of the projects funded will enable the Commission and the public to understand the manner in which public funds are expended and how they have benefited the Canadian broadcasting system.
  • Requiring that all programming supported by CIPFs, regardless of the platform on which it is distributed, be closed captioned and provided with described video.
    Making accessibility a consideration early in the creative process—not only in post-production—will help create a cultural shift that will result in accessibility becoming just another consideration in the regular course of doing business. 
  • Requiring that at least one member of a CIPF’s project selection committee is responsible for ensuring that official language minority communities’ (OLMCs’) reflection and issues are taken into account.
    This is to ensure that the needs of OLMCs are considered when projects are selected. 
  • Amending the governance rules relative to the composition of the board as well as to the funding decision criteria.
    The updates emphasize the importance of the board’s independence from all private funding entities, including broadcasting distribution undertakings, broadcasters and their affiliates, and the notion that CIPF funding should not be self-serving. 
  • Requiring all CIPFs to report annually on their activities to ensure transparency and accountability.
    This policy replaces the policy entitled Contributions to Canadian programming by broadcasting distribution undertakings. The revised policy will be effective 1 September 2016. 

Continue reading.

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Rio 2016 on CBC/Radio Canada most-watched Summer Olympic Games in Canadian history

From a media release:

CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage  of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games offered Canadians more hours of live coverage than any other Olympic Games before, and audiences responded by watching in record numbers. From the Opening Ceremony on August 5 to the Closing Ceremony on August 21, CBC/Radio-Canada’s coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games reached 32.1 million Canadians – more viewers than have watched any previous Summer Games in Canada.

Team Canada matched the national record for the most medals won at a single non-boycotted summer Olympic Games with 22 total medals. This successful performance by Canada’s athletes and extensive live coverage helped keep CBC audiences engaged from the first week of coverage through to the end of the Olympic Games. CBC’s main network Rio 2016 coverage was the top-ranked programming in morning, daytime, primetime and Pacific primetime among 2+ and key A18-49 and A25-54 demographics.

The 2+ average full day audience for CBC’s Rio 2016 English-language television broadcasts (1.271M, main network only) increased by 11 percent over  London 2012 (1.146M, main network only). In primetime, the 2+ average audience (2.315M, main network only) increased by 23 percent over London (1.879M, main network only). In addition, CBC’s average audience for Pacific primetime coverage (1.055M, main network only, 11 p.m.–1 a.m. ET) saw an average audience (2+) increase of 189 percent over late night coverage during London 2012 (365,000, main network only, 12–2 a.m. ET). Mutual viewing accounted for 60 percent of all viewing (2+), indicating that Canadians enjoyed watching the Summer Games together. This number increases to 65 percent for primetime viewing.

In terms of digital audiences, CBC/Radio-Canada’s English- and French-language websites and apps generated more than 229 million total page views and nearly 37 million video views over the course of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. These video views alone account for more than 626 million minutes of video watched by Canadians over the course of the Games.

The following are the most-watched moments from each day of Rio 2016 on CBC:

  • Day 0 (Aug. 5): 3.1 million viewers – Team Canada enters the stadium during the Opening Ceremony
  • Day 1 (Aug. 6): 2.7 million viewers – Canada wins bronze in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
  • Day 2 (Aug. 7): 3.4 million viewers – Penny Oleksiak wins the silver medal in the women’s 100m butterfly
  • Day 3 (Aug. 8): 3.4 million viewers – Women’s 100m breaststroke final
  • Day 4 (Aug. 9): 3.7 million viewers – Michael Phelps wins gold in the men’s 200m butterfly
  • Day 5 (Aug. 10): 3.6 million viewers – Santo Condorelli swims in the 100m freestyle final
  • Day 6 (Aug. 11): 4.3 million viewers – Penny Oleksiak wins gold in the women’s 200m freestyle
  • Day 7 (Aug. 12): 3.8 million viewers – Women’s 800m freestyle final
  • Day 8 (Aug. 13): 4.8 million viewers – Canada competes in the women’s 4x100m medley relay
  • Day 9 (Aug. 14): 6.9 million viewers – Usain Bolt wins gold and Andre De Grasse wins bronze in the men’s 100m
  • Day 10 (Aug. 15): 3.5 million viewers – Men’s pole vault final
  • Day 11 (Aug. 16): 3.6 million viewers – Derek Drouin wins gold in men’s high jump
  • Day 12 (Aug. 17): 4.5 million viewers – De Grasse challenges Bolt in the men’s 200m semifinals
  • Day 13 (Aug. 18): 7.2 million viewers – Bolt wins gold and De Grasse wins silver in the men’s 200m
  • Day 14 (Aug. 19): 5.3 million viewers – Bolt completes the “triple-triple” by winning gold with Jamaica’s men’s 4 x 100m relay team
  • Day 15 (Aug. 20): 3.3 million viewers – Melissa Bishop finishes just off the podium in the women’s 800m
  • Day 16 (Aug. 21): 4.0 million viewers – Tokyo 2020 offers a preview during the Rio 2016 Closing Ceremony

Over the course of Rio 2016, CBC/Radio-Canada and primary broadcast partners TSN and RDS, as well as Sportsnet, provided Canadians with 1275 hours of television coverage and more than 4000 hours of live streaming sport coverage.

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