TORONTO – "The best that can be said about this report is that the Task Force has not recommended to scrap the CTF altogether," said ACTRA national executive director Stephen Waddell in a press release.
That, and it "will change the broadcast distribution regulations to ensure cable companies pay regularly into the fund," he said.
Waddell was talking about the CRTC’s Task Force Report on the Canadian Television Fund, released Friday, as reported by Cartt.ca. The task force, led by Commission vice-chair, broadcasting, Michel Arpin, confirmed the need for the fund’s existence, but called for massive changes in how the money is given out, the metrics producers must satisfy and the composition of the board.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage, Bev Oda, directed the CRTC to set up the Task Force this winter because of objections raised by cable companies that foot much of the bill: Shaw Communications and Videotron. The two suspended their monthly payments in order to make their points that the fund isn’t managed correctly and their voices – as two of the largest contributors – aren’t being heard.
"ACTRA sees the recommendations in the report as doing next to nothing to address the need for English-language drama on Canadian television screens," says its press release.
"The worst recommendation in this report proposes to change the rules so that fewer Canadians are needed in Canadian programming," said Richard Hardacre, national president. "If accepted, this recommendation would permit CTF-funded productions to be made without a Canadian in the key roles of, a director, or a writer, or a lead performer," added Hardacre.
Currently, the CTF rules require that the writer, director, and lead performers must all be Canadian.
"We’re appalled that the Task Force has compromised Canadian culture by succumbing to the pressures of the privileged cable giants," said Hardacre. "To make matters worse, the report calls for a new board without anyone from the creative side of the industry. Ultimately, it’s up to Minister Oda to take responsibility and approve or reject these recommendations," added Hardacre.
(Ed note: The recommendation about the board says that producers receiving money from the CTF ought not to be on the board deciding who gets funded because that looks like a conflict of interest.)
In announcing the recommendations, the CRTC also has called for comments on how to implement the report’s recommendations. The deadline for comments is July 27th
