By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC is asking the public about whether it should expand its Canadian content points system, which certifies productions based on certain positions held by Canadians, as well as how it should rejig the Canadian programming expenditures (CPE) and programs of national interest (PNI) systems to support content in a new regulatory environment.
The existing points system requires a minimum of six points out of 10, with each position in a Canadian production having a varying number of points based on the role’s importance. The system captures live action, continuous action animated productions and animation productions. It requires that the director or screenwriter for live action or the scriptwriter or storyboard supervisor positions, as well as the first or second lead performer, be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
As part of its implementation of the new Broadcasting Act, the CRTC is now proposing a system that will expand the existing system to require a minimum of nine points out of 15.
Spotlighting the proposed new additions to the list for certification in live action and continuous action animation products are showrunner, earning the maximum of two points and equal to the director and screenwriter. The CRTC is asking whether this should be the case and what the definition of the showrunner should be.
For one point each, other proposed new categories include head of costume design, key make-up/hair stylist; for one point, instead of just the music composer, the rights holders of the pre-existing or pre-recorded music used in productions would also need to be Canadian; and the visual or special effects director is a new category for one point.
The commission also holds the preliminary view that, for these productions, either the director or the screenwriter must be Canadian.
For animation productions, new additions would include the showrunner, which nets two points; virtual camera operator would get the production one point; the existing scriptwriter, storyboard supervisor, and director would get two points instead of one; first and second voices or first and second lead performer would both get one point, instead of one or the other; and rights holders of the pre-existing or pre-recorded music used in productions would also need to be Canadian.
When asked whether the increased point system makes it more or less difficult, the CRTC’s executive director of broadcasting, Scott Shortliffe, said Friday: “We don’t see it as making it harder, we also don’t see it as making it easier. I think we are hoping to strike a balance where it recognizes that you have different kinds of important talents in different programs.
“So we’re seeing it as more pass to the ultimate objective, but not either lessening it or strengthening it, saying that we’re recognizing that the world has changed and there are maybe more ways that you could get to the end result.”
The CRTC also said it recognizes that certain productions will not have these key creative positions, such as documentaries. In that case, the production can get certification if Canadians “fill all key creative positions and the productions,” which earns them a perfect score.
The CRTC is also putting forward a preliminary view that there should be some flexibility – to allow the use of foreign talent and therefore more collaboration – where key creative positions of director and screenwriter/scriptwriter/storyboard supervisor could be awarded points when shared by both Canadian and non-Canadians. For instance, if one position has multiple people occupying it, the CRTC is proposing that at least 80 per cent of that position must be held by a Canadian.
The commission is also asking whether it should include “cultural elements,” such as Canadian stories and history, in the scoring framework.
On CPE and PNI
The CRTC also said Friday that it believes both online and traditional video undertakings making $25 million or more in a year should contribute to Canadian programming expenditures (CPE).
The commission is asking the public whether CPE contributions from traditional Canadian and foreign streamers – who are already required to put 5 per cent of their previous year’s revenues into the system – should be the same or different and how those contributions should be allocated.
It is also asking how a subset of CPE, the programs of national interest (PNI), which focuses on risky-to-produce and difficult-to-monetize programming, should be handled in light of online streamers coming under the regulator’s ambit.
A public hearing on these matters will be held on March 31, 2025.
In a separate consultation, the CRTC is also seeking comments on how it can reduce the burdens on radio operators. Specifically, it is asking about how it can reduce the barriers to entry for new radio operators, potentially through broadened exemption orders; how it can reduce reporting requirements; how it can create incentives; how it can streamline processes to harmonize requirements; how it can promote sustainability of broadcasters, especially in underserved markets; and identify barriers faced by equity-deserving groups getting licences and how those barriers can be removed.
