OTTAWA – The Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA) is calling on the CRTC to hold a public proceeding to examine the role of television broadcasters in supporting Canadian English-language theatrical films.
The CMPA released two studies on Tuesday relating to Canadian theatrical films – one on the financing provided by broadcasters to English-language films supported under the Canada Feature Film Fund, and one related to the broadcast of films in the television system.
Canadian Television Broadcasters’ Financial Participation in the Production of English-language Theatrical Films Supported by Telefilm Canada Under the Main Program of the Canada Feature Film Fund found that direct financing from television broadcasters, particularly from Pay TV services, has decreased by 79% over the last 8 years, from a high of $16.3 million 2003-04 to $3.3 million in 2010-11.
Examination of the Levels of Broadcast for Canadian Theatrical Films shows that while the number of hours dedicated to the broadcast of both Canadian and foreign theatrical films has increased significantly, the Canadian films being shown are increasingly older films and the average number of repeats of those films has doubled between 2004-05 and 2009-10.
“The CMPA has sounded the alarm bell on the issues facing Canadian feature films in various proceedings over the past several years,” said CMPA president and CEO Norm Bolen, in a statement. “We hope the studies released today will help convince the CRTC of the need to examine this issue in a public proceeding. It would be a forum where all stakeholders can share their ideas on how to improve the success of Canadian feature films in our television system, particularly in English Canada where the competition for audiences is so fierce.”
