I HAVE READ WITH interest the astonishing assertion by Glenn O’Farrell that he should be allowed to poach local avails and direct the money, “wherever it is needed.” (See "Avail sales can help make Cancon", Cartt.ca, November 25, 2009) Two previous ill-conceived plans similar in nature were turned down for a few good reasons.
Perhaps Mr. O’Farrell is unaware that local avails are part of affiliation agreements that are between two parties, not three. When BDUs are licensed and agree to carry services such as CNN, Golf, Speed and A&E, part of those agreements permit the BDU to occupy two minutes per hour for sale or promotional purposes. The Local Avails rules in Canada are somewhat restricted right now and that can and should change but it won’t require some third party interloper to get the job done.
The key point here is that the contract exists between the Specialty Channel and the BDU. What is not needed is some third party looking to create a few big paying jobs and a bureaucratic layer of cost.
Wait, perhaps I’m wrong. Why not ask the CRTC to give me all unsold TV spots in Canada and I promise to give 70% of the money to “wherever it is needed.”
Mediadenovo to the rescue, or is this more local avail lunacy?
Bil Trainor
President
Capital Networks Limited
