TORONTO and OTTAWA – CBC Newsworld is cancelling its award-winning documentary program The Lens after 16 years.
Previously known as Rough Cuts, the program has showcased approximately 175 Canadian documentaries from independent filmmakers.
Norm Bolen, president and CEO of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) called the news “a very disturbing signal from Canada’s public broadcaster.”
“We understand the financial constraints all broadcasters are under but the documentary genre should be better represented and funded by the broadcasting sector,” Bolen said in a statement. “Cancelling this outlet for one-off, point-of-view documentaries by independent producers will further reduce the diversity of voices and stories told to Canadian audiences.”
The CFTPA said that it has been “reassured” that the CBC will keep other documentary-based programs such as The Passionate Eye, Doc Zone, and The Nature of Things on their schedule next season.
“But The Lens was the only CBC documentary program devoted exclusively to the works of independent producers,” Bolen continued. “This cancellation will have a significant negative impact on the independent documentary production community and deprive Canadian audiences of seeing important and thought-provoking stories.”
The CFTPA is a non-profit, trade association representing almost 400 companies in the Canadian production industry.
