OTTAWA – Canada’s private broadcasters were told Monday to stop “signing over primetime to a different country” and “put more Canada on TV”.
At a demonstration outside the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ convention here Monday, Canadian TV stars and hundreds of ACTRA members and supporters criticized the industry for feeding Hollywood and starving Canada’s home-grown talent.
“Those people call themselves Canadian broadcasters. I say that’s a name you have to earn, and you don’t earn it by producing zero one-hour dramatic shows and signing over Canada’s primetime to a different country,” said Corner Gas star Eric Peterson.
The demonstration came on the same day the CAB was releasing a report claiming its members are spending more than ever on Canadian productions.
Peterson was joined by other well-known Canadian performers including Julie Stewart (Cold Squad), Robb Wells (Trailer Park Boys), John Paul Tremblay (Trailer Park Boys), ACTRA’s National President Richard Hardacre and ACTRA Toronto President Karl
Pruner.
“Last year, Canada’s English-language broadcasters spent almost $500 million in Hollywood and a grand total of $40 million on Canadian dramas. For every dollar they spend on drama in Canada, they spent 12 dollars in Hollywood. It’s time for more Canada on Canadian TV,” said Stewart in a statement.
“Become real Canadian broadcasters. Produce real Canadian shows, and show them on TV when Canadians are watching,” said Wells.
“The people of Canada deserve to see themselves and their own stories on their own airwaves,” added Tremblay.
ACTRA’s Richard Hardacre said that “if we don’t speak up, we stand to lose our airwaves to Hollywood. Our culture and our country are too important to stay silent. It’s time for action by the CRTC and by the broadcasters.”
ACTRA has been calling for regulations requiring Canada’s private broadcasters to spend at least 7% of their advertising revenues on new Canadian English-language drama programming and to schedule at least two hours more of Canadian dramas in real primetime (Sunday to Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.).
www.actra.ca
