OTTAWA – Some of the country’s biggest broadcasters must pay out a combined $618 million in tangible public benefits by August 31, 2017 associated with their recent acquisitions of English-language television assets, according to new research by Boon Dog Professional Services Inc.
The Ottawa-based research and consulting firm released a new annual syndicated research study on Monday called the ‘Canadian Television Benefits Monitor: Tracking Spending on English-Language Television Benefits Packages’.
The report, which uses 2010 data, tracks spending for 15 current English-language TV benefits packages using data contained in reports filed with the CRTC. The CRTC generally requires broadcasters to pay 10% of the value of television assets being acquired as tangible public benefits, in lieu of a competitive process for the transfer of broadcasting licences.
Highlights from the report include:
– The combined value of the 15 benefits packages tracked in the report totals $884.8 million, of which $266.5 million had been spent by August 31, 2010. That leaves $618.3 million to be spent by August 31, 2017;
– As of August 31, 2010, 30% of the total benefits funds detailed in the report had been spent, including 33% of benefits funds for on-screen and/or programming-related benefits and 13% of benefits funds for social/other benefits;
– The combined value of on-screen and/or programming-related benefits for the 15 benefits packages tracked in the report totals $747.6 million, of which $249.3 million had been spent by August 31, 2010. That leaves $498.2 million to be spent by August 31, 2017;
– As of August 31, 2010, 36% of benefits funds for incremental programs of national interest and priority programming and related initiatives had been spent, 18% of benefits funds for other programming other than programs of national interest or priority programming had been spent, and 31% of benefits funds for news/public affairs programming and local programming had been spent;
– In total, 84% of benefits funds detailed in the report have been committed to go to on-screen and/or programming-related benefit initiatives, which is consistent with the CRTC’s standard practice of requiring approximately 85% of benefits funds go to such initiatives;
– 60% of benefits funds detailed in the report have been committed to go to the development and production of incremental priority programming or new programs of national interest and related multi-platform content or related initiatives; and
– 71% of on-screen and/or programming-related benefits funds detailed in the report have been committed to go to the development and production of incremental priority programming or programs of national interest and related multi-platform content or related initiatives.
For more information on the report, contact co-founder and partner Mario Mota at mota.bdps@rogers.com or (613) 834-2740.
