OTTAWA – The CRTC’s new policy framework for local and community television is a “crippling blow” to Canada’s community TV industry, says the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS).
The new policy framework, released June 15, sets new minimum thresholds for local news on the country’s private TV broadcasters plus seeks to establish a new fund for independent stations. But CACTUS, which appeared at the CRTC’s hearings in to local and community TV, was critical of the new Independent Local News Fund which it says “redirects money for community TV to private news production in a handful of mid-sized Canadian cities”.
“… (T)he same money could have facilitated citizen-generated local news and information in 250 smaller communities that have no TV coverage,” said CACTUS president Ivan Traill, in a statement. “These horizontally and vertically integrated companies were allowed to buy our last private TV networks – CTV and Global – because they had the deep pockets to subsidize news and drama from mobile, Internet, and pay TV services. So why raid community TV?”
CACTUS added that the decision “fails to recognize the potential of genuine community-owned TV”, such as allowing volunteers to partner with community organizations to produce content, and to provide a training ground for up and coming Canadian actors, writers, and directors.
“(Community TV channels) play a vital democratic role, airing council meetings and local events”, added CACTUS executive director Cathy Edwards. “Many Canadians remember their quirkier content, like Guy Maddin's spoofs of the cold war on Winnipeg Videon, or Tom Green on Rogers.”
