TORONTO – ACTRA expressed its disappointment with Canada’s major private TV broadcasters, saying they chose to “fill their Fall 2009 schedules with U.S. product rather than make a commitment to Canadian drama”.
A review of the Fall 2009 schedules released this week by the TV networks show “weak” commitments to new Canadian drama, from a low of one hour per week on ‘A’ Channel, to a high of two hours each on CTV and Global, ACTRA noted. Out of a possible 112 prime time hours in a week, CTV, Global, CityTV and ‘A’ Channel have scheduled just 6 ½ hours of new Canadian drama in their Fall schedules – a ratio of 17 to 1.
“This week’s release of the Fall TV schedules demonstrates yet again the private networks have no intention of increasing Canadian programming – unless forced to do so by the CRTC,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA’s national executive director, in a statement. “We hope the CRTC will do just that this Fall when it considers minimum expenditures for Canadian programming.”
