TORONTO and MONTREAL — The Canada Media Fund (CMF) announced today the appointment of five new directors to its management team as the organization continues its restructuring plan to build a more inclusive screen-based industry in Canada.
“Alongside the executive team, the five directors will help to implement our new content-centric, platform-agnostic funding model to better invest in authentic stories from across Canada, realize our Equity & Inclusion strategy, and strengthen our communications with the public, the industry, and government,” reads a press release announcing the new appointments.
“I’m delighted to welcome this group of dedicated professionals to our team,”…
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By Christopher Guly
OTTAWA – Canadian broadcasting legend Patrick Watson (above), who pioneered cutting-edge programming at CBC and who died in the early hours of July 4 at the age of 92, is being remembered as a consequential contributor to the country’s public broadcaster.
“From his start as a teen actor on CBC Radio’s The Kootenay Kid to his storied career with CBC News and his time as chair of the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors, Patrick Watson’s contribution to Canada’s public broadcaster and his service to Canadians across a number of fields was far-reaching, made a difference and will…
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Mostly francophones from Québec
By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – After a group of 60 people, including Radio-Canada personalities, sent an open letter to the CBC/Radio-Canada asking it to refuse to comply to the sanctions imposed by the CRTC on the use of the “N-word” on-air, more people and groups came out against the decision.
Some are asking the public broadcaster to pushback, some are demanding the Minister of Canadian Heritage or the Prime Minister to take a stand.
The Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec, representing journalists in Québec, said through its president “All dialogue is healthy for a society, the…
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By Douglas Barrett
ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, the gathering of independent Canadian producers at the Banff World Media Festival woke up to an unpleasant surprise.
In a late-night session of the Canadian Heritage Committee (which Cartt.ca said could only be described as “chaotic”) as many as 150 amendments were considered to Bill C-11 and a 30-year-old provision in the principal policy section of the Broadcasting Act went from this:
(i) the programming provided by the Canadian broadcasting system should
(v) include a significant contribution from the Canadian independent production sector
to this:
(i) the programming provided by the Canadian broadcasting system should
(v) include the greatest possible contribution…
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OTTAWA – The CRTC today launched a consultation on whether stock footage costs should continue to be included in the criteria used for Canadian program certification.
Both the Commission and the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO) have specific criteria for determining whether a production can be certified as “Canadian”. This includes (for both) a minimum 75% expenditure threshold paid to Canadians or Canadian businesses operating in the country for specific services costs.
Right now, the Commission categorizes stock footage as a “services” cost, which means it counts within the 75% expenditure threshold.
The Commission’s call for comments notes CAVCO announced in…
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OTTAWA – Three organizations representing community television and radio stations have applauded amendments made to clarify the role of “community” in Bill C-11, legislation which would give the CRTC enhanced powers to regulate content on internet platforms in support of Canadian productions.
The Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), the Fédération des télévisions communautaires autonomes du Québec (the Federation), and the National Campus and Community Radio Association (the NCRA/ANREC) said in a press release today that the contentious legislation, which passed third reading in the House this week and is now before the Senate for pre-study, more…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – On Tuesday, the Senate transportation and communications committee heard pointed opposition to a bill that would give the CRTC the ability to further regulate the online realm to support Canadian content.
The committee is currently in a pre-study phase in its examination of Bill C-11, the highly contentious legislation that drew strict rebuke from witnesses Tuesday.
The first hour was devoted to former CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein and University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist. The first formally proposed specific amendments to various sections to narrow the scope of the bill.
“(…) I certainly do not agree…
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BILL C-11, THE Online Streaming Act, rightly raises important questions about transparency and trust — but not necessarily the ones that its critics would have you think.
I believe that C-11 is generally a good law that does what it purports to do: modernize the Broadcasting Act to ensure that online streamers and platforms play by the same rules as Canadian broadcasters do when it comes to investing in and promoting Canadian content….
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – On Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications met to consider a draft agenda to conduct a pre-study of Bill C-11 during which it was agreed that the department of Canadian Heritage, the CRTC, Konrad von Finckenstein, Michael Geist and Pierre Trudel will be heard in the week of June 20 to 22.
The Department of Justice and the Privacy Commissioner were also mentioned.
Last night, the Heritage Committee finished clause-by-clause review of the bill, and today the chair reported the bill back to the House with amendments.
After it passes third reading,…
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OTTAWA – In a series of meetings yesterday that lasted past midnight and can only be described as chaotic, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage made it through clause-by-clause review of Bill C-11, the Online Streaming Act, and committee chair Hedy Fry reported the bill back to the House of Commons today with amendments.
Due to a motion passed in the House (which former Green Party leader and current MP Elizabeth May expressed disapproval of several times during the meetings), the committee had a limited amount of time in which to debate amendments. Two of three…
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