TORONTO — The Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR) Panel report released today contains a number of recommendations which Canadian content producers will consider good news — namely that all media content undertakings, including international digital giants not currently covered by legislation, should have obligations to support Canadian content.
As part of its review, the BTLR panel looked at the possibility of creating new financing models and other initiatives to support the creation, production and discoverability of Canadian content. Among its recommendations related to Canadian content are that the functions of the Canada Media Fund and Telefilm Canada be merged into one new publicly funded institution that would support the creation of screen-based content.
A further recommendation by the BTLR panel suggests the regulatory levies paid currently to the CMF should be redirected to the Certified Independent Production Funds (CIPFs like the Rogers Fund or Bell’s Greenberg Fund) or other existing or new funds approved by the CRTC.
“Being fully funded from public sources means that the new institution should not benefit from the levies on BDUs. The levies being paid to the CMF should primarily be redirected to the CIPFs,” the panel’s report says. “The CIPFs came about as a result of industry initiatives and support a variety of content (including youth programming, documentaries, and digital media). This would provide more flexibility to both independent producers — who are crucial to maintaining a diversity of voices — and broadcasters to invest and create Canadian content. This flexibility would help them meet the new stated objective that Canadian content be of high quality and able to compete at home and abroad.”
The panel goes on to say in its report that it encourages the federal government and the CRTC “to ensure that a significant portion of financing provided through the new public institution and CIPFs goes to productions where all key creative positions are occupied by Canadians. Consistent with this, where media curation undertakings include new Canadian dramas and long-form documentaries in their offerings, the CRTC should set an expectation that all key creative positions be occupied by Canadians on a reasonable percentage of those programs.”
After the release of the report, the CMF issued a statement in reaction to the BTLR panel’s recommendations. Although it didn’t specifically address the recommendations regarding its possible merger with Telefilm Canada in a new publicly funded institution, the CMF did say it welcomed the release of the report.
“We thank the panel members, including chair Janet Yale, for their very important work in reviewing our current legislative and regulatory system, and for developing recommendations that will take us forward,” said Valerie Creighton, president and CEO, CMF, in the statement.
“We also thank the panel for taking into consideration the various perspectives of all members in the audiovisual industry. A unique window of opportunity for change has opened before us and we look forward to engaging our clients, funders and industry stakeholders on the future of our industry,” Creighton added.
“We believe in the key role played by both public and private sector players in our industry and look forward to continue working with our funders to support Canada’s content and stories as they reach growing audiences here at home and around the world.”
In its own statement, Telefilm didn’t say anything more about the merger idea either. “Telefilm has supported the development of Canada’s screen-based industry for over 50 years. We look forward to discussing the proposed recommendations with our clients, partners, and industry stakeholders, as well as to sharing our views with Minister Guilbeault and Canadian Heritage, and to working hand-in-hand on the next steps,” in a statement from executive director Christa Dickenson.
