Tag Archives: CRTC

Industry News

Link: Nobody will watch TV out of patriotism

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From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: Nobody will watch TV out of patriotism
Now, it’s fair to say that the funding of Canadian TV is an enormously complex business. An army of lawyers and accountants earn a good living interpreting all the rules. I’ve heard from several experts and the upshot of the feedback is that there has been a false alarm. One expert told me, “The CRTC simply decided to align the funding rules for the CIPFs (Certified Independent Productions Funds) with its “normal” rules for a Canadian program and with CAVCO’s (Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office) “normal” rules (which are in the Income Tax Act of Canada) for the Canadian film or video production film tax credit – that is, a minimum of six out of 10 Canadian points.” Continue reading.

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Children's Programming, Featured

Comments and queries for the week of September 2

Is SnapShots returning to CBC?

I have enjoyed the SnapShots show. My daughters would be interested in participating. Are there going to be any more episodes of SnapShot? If so, will there be any more auditions and where and when will they be? —Lisa

SnapShots will be back for another season on Sept. 10 on CBC. for auditions and other information, go to the CBC Kids’ Facebook page.

Readers react to the CRTC’s changes to Certified Independent Production Funds

I live in Australia and most of my favourite TV shows were/are filmed in Canada, frequently with Canadian creatives—Stargate (SG1, Atlantis & Universe), Arrow, Dark Matter and The X-Files. Many are set in the U.S. but are still very Canadian. In fact, I’ve seen so much that I can often look at a film without knowing and say that’s British Columbia—the forests, streets, generally the look and feel.

Canadian creatives are every bit as talented as those in other countries. While my mother and I were initially attracted to Stargate because it was American actor Richard Dean Anderson’s new show, we loved the show itself and all of the actors to which it introduced us. In fact, Canadian Michael Shanks was my late mother’s favourite. For genre television fans like myself, some of the names of creatives that I follow from project to project aren’t necessarily well-known names in mainstream television. Examples: James Bamford, Ivon Bartok, Joseph Mallozzi, Brad Wright, Robert Cooper, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Kavan Smith, Paul McGillion, David Hewlett, Ryan Robbins and Patrick Gilmore, etc.

So I want to see more Canadian creatives names on-screen. —Webgurl

Bad news indeed. Should the Levys, Reitmans and Balcer be given shows in Canada since they clearly have spent their lives and careers in the USA? Never mind that some of them have no experience producing or writing … leaving local talent unemployed and without opportunity. So tomorrow Kiefer Sutherland, his U.S. career having faded, comes to Canada and gets shows/money thrown at him at the expense of lesser-known local creatives? And then Hart Hanson… What constitutes Canadian and what is fair? Is this question too Harperian in nature?

Canadian tax dollars should be spent on creatives residing locally … too few shows get made and far too often the same Canadian writers/producers get those shows. The executives are largely to blame for this turn of events. How do you develop talent, then, given the new regulations and the collusion of executives to deprive local creatives of opportunities and enhance their own reputation by funding American-Canadian U.S.-based talent? —Mir

Saying goodbye to Motive

One of the best, if not the best, truly Canadian series is ending. The unusual twist of victim/killer made this dramatic very intriguing! Kudos to the crew and cast got an outstanding run! Sorry to see you go! —Brenda

My favourite show is ending. So sad. Hope they will renew it in the future. —Bo

Such a shame that a great show has to end. Well, I can only hope it’s replaced by another great Canadian show! God knows there’s not enough of “our” stuff—and too much of everybody else’s! —Stephen

Got a question or comment about Canadian TV? Email Greg.David@tv-eh.com or via Twitter @tv_eh.

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Industry News

CRTC gets the facts wrong

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From a media release:

Mistakes get made, but most are not newsworthy. This one is.

The CRTC’s recent decision regarding “Certified Independent Production Funds” (CIPFs) includes a significant factual error. It claims that the Canada Media Fund (CMF) argued in favour of reducing the points needed for Canadian productions to receive funding from the CIPFs. The CRTC stated:

“The CMF argued that this amendment would give producers creative flexibility in the development of Canadian productions, which would lead to international market appeal and the potential for international investment. This, in turn, would lead to better recoupment for CIPF-funded programs and would therefore provide more money for CIPFs to invest back into Canadian projects.”

In fact, the CMF didn’t say any of that. Documents on the public record of this proceeding, submitted by the CMF and available on the CRTC’s website, show that the CMF never made these arguments, nor did it even address the issue in any substantive way.

The CMF is a well-established and respected funding body, whose views on the subject would presumably carry significant weight in a proceeding such as this. This makes the misattribution particularly concerning, and the WGC believes the error calls into question the rigour of this CRTC process.

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Industry News

DGC disappointed with CRTC’s decisions to reduce Canadian participation in CIPF-funded productions

From a media release:

CRTC’s Epiphany: Canada will win on the world stage by becoming America

The DGC is profoundly dismayed by the CRTC’s decision to reduce the participation of Canadian talent in productions supported by the Certified Independent Production Funds.

Last year with the Let’s Talk TV decisions and now with revisions to the policy that governs Certified Independent Production Funds like Shaw Rocket Fund, Harold Greenberg Fund, Rogers Fund, Canadian talent continues to be a vanishing species. The Commission’s approach for creating a robust, successful domestic production sector is to divert Canadian citizen’s money to pay American writers, directors and actors to make generic programming which tells the world nothing about who we are as a nation or as a people. Once again Canada misses a chance to shine at home and on the world stage by proposing to eliminate all that is unique in what we make.

There is no evidence that reducing Canadian creative involvement will make these shows more successful.  In the current Canadian landscape of risk adverse decision makers the DGC has time after time sought the resources necessary for Canada’s storytellers to create innovative, original compelling content. Instead, the Commission once again proposes the elimination of Canadian writers, directors and performers – the very elements which make niche television from countries outside the USA so compelling to audiences everywhere.

The CRTC’s decisions reflect an outdated approach that is a legacy from the former Harper government.  Success in the Golden Age of Television rests on distinctiveness and originality. In a word: voice.

It is time to change the channel; the path to a greater diversity of high quality made-in-Canada content begins with promoting, not diminishing, opportunities for Canadian talent.

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Industry News

Link: CRTC’s Canadian content changes are terrible, but no one cares

From John Doyle of The Globe and Mail:

Link: CRTC’s Canadian content changes are terrible, but no one cares
A portion of the Canadian TV racket is in an uproar. An important question is this: Will anyone care?

Last week, a significant CRTC decision released with some stealth – a Thursday in late August, for heaven’s sake – notably rejigged the notorious “point system” for what defines the Canadian-ness of a TV project. Previously, eight points out of 10, determined by using Canadian writers and actors, mainly, opened up funding. Now, it will be six points out of 10. Continue reading.

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