BANFF – Canadian industry execs filling the halls at the Banff World Television Festival told Cartt.ca they welcome CRTC review of conventional television and the request from the Heritage Minister Beverley Oda to study the technological changes facing the broadcast industry.
“We want a little freedom,” says Phil Lind, vice-chairman, Rogers Communications.
“We have been shackled to death with regulation over the years, and we want to break out of that somehow. We’ve got to realize that people just don’t really understand all of these arcane rules and regulations that have been developed in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, that just don’t seem to apply anymore."
Jay Switzer, president and CEO, CHUM Limited encouraged “both the Commission and the government to look quickly, and broadly and deeply on policy matters affecting conventional television so that we can work together in a constructive way before things get too serious,” says Switzer.
He supports the role of conventional television in the Canadian system, particularly in smaller markets.
“We’re looking forward to a very busy summer organizing our thoughts, preparing them and playing an active role – and in a small way being a part of what we know will be a solution,” said Switzer, “because if there isn’t a strong television sector, we can’t do any good together.
A note of caution from Phyllis Yaffe, CEO of Alliance Atlantis Communications as she urged “the Commission not to make changes to one part without remembering that it will have great impacts on the other.
“There are implications for everyone in the system,” she added.
Robert Rabinovitch, president and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada, believes the television policy review must bring efficiencies into the system.
He notes that while the CBC has been historically responsible for reaching communities of 500 or more people conventionally with rebroadcasts, there are better ways to get this done. “This is totally out of date,” says Rabinovitch, “there are different systems, whether it’s by satellite, Internet, IPTV (once it’s up and running),” to get content across.
“There are different ways to build the coverage responsibility in which is more efficient and cheaper and hence results in more funds being available for what we’re really all about, which is programming,” he continued.
“It’s a critical first step,” Rabinovitch. “And late.”
Tara Blasco Raj is in Banff covering the Banff World Television Festival. Surf back to Cartt.ca for more all week long.
