TORONTO and OTTAWA – Canada’s creative community used words like “optimistic” and “pleased” to describe their reaction to the CRTC’s group-based licencing policy released Wednesday.
As Cartt.ca reported, Bell, Corus and Shaw will now be required to spend 30% of their revenues on Canadian programming, while Rogers will have to spend at least 23% of its gross annual revenues on Canadian programming for its conventional television stations. Bell and Shaw must allot 5% of their revenues to programs of national interest, Corus 9% and Rogers 2.5%.
Noting that it had hoped that the CRTC would require the English-language broadcasters to spend at least 10% on programs of national interest, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) said that it remained “optimistic” about the decision.
“We are encouraged by the decision handed down by the CRTC (Wednesday),” said national executive director Stephen Waddell, in a statement. “Their intentions have remained consistent with their 2010 Television Policy. We’re glad to see that the Commission resisted the broadcasters’ requests to water down the group-licence requirements even further.”
Expressing hope that the new funding requirements will be viewed “as a floor upon which to build new Canadian programming, and not a ceiling to bump up against”, ACTRA also encouraged the broadcasters to air more Canadian content in prime time.
The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) said that it “welcomes” the new framework, and was “pleased” that the CRTC made adherence to its new Terms of Trade agreement a condition of licence, however, it questioned the CRTC’s decision to treat Rogers differently.
“We are disappointed that Rogers was not included alongside the other broadcasters, and was considered outside the new policy,” said president and CEO Norm Bolen, in a statement.
– Lesley Hunter
