TORONTO – In what could be its last actions, the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) has announced the renewal of its digital media program and production incentive program for the 2009-2010 season.
The digital media program, which supports the digital extensions of traditional television programming, has been increased from $2 million to $10 million.
The production incentive program, launched as a pilot program last year, was designed to balance the distribution of financial support to productions across Canada by encouraging production where volumes have declined significantly. It has been increased from $5 million to $10 million.
The CTF supports the development of Canadian…
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OTTAWA – After Canada’s major English-language performers’ union and a community TV association testified before the Heritage Standing Committee about Canadian TV content rules, a specialty broadcaster raised concerns about getting carriage for the content once it’s made.
Wednesday’s testimony will help form part of the committee’s study on the evolution of the television industry in Canada and its impact on local communities, which launched March 25 and will conclude next week with a return visit by CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein.
Actors union ACTRA led off by reiterating many of the points it raised during its appearance on…
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TORONTO – CTV has ratcheted up its PR campaign in support of fee-for-carriage with the debut of www.savelocal.ctv.ca
The web page says that the future of local broadcasting is “at stake” largely because of “the problem” of current regulations allowing cable and satellite companies to “take” CTV and ‘A’ channel programming without compensation “and then charge you, the consumer, for the programming they take for free.”
“Television service providers, including cable and satellite companies, are reaping huge profits at the direct expense of local Canadian TV stations that are going out of business”, the information says.
The solution? Fee-for-carriage,…
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OTTAWA and TORONTO – The CBC could cut even more jobs, now that federal government has it to participate in its strategic review program which asks government departments to identify up to 5% of spending that may be cut.
The CBC informed staff on Friday that the public broadcaster will have to take part in the program this year, and president Hubert Lacroix encouraged employees to “hang in there”.
“The objective of the strategic review is to evaluate all of our program and spending activities to identify the lowest priorities in terms of carrying out our mandate,” Lacroix said Friday in…
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OTTAWA – Parliament should ensure Canada’s broadcasting legislation “keeps step with the times”, including proper accountability and transparency, even if it means restructuring the CRTC, said Canada’s largest media union.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) told the Heritage Committee on Monday that Canada’s big broadcasting corporations were “supposed to strengthen local stations not close them down”, and the CRTC must share the blame for allowing that to happen.
"Parliament needs to reshape the CRTC, review the Broadcasting Act, and consider whether Canada needs converged communications legislation geared to the 21st century to address consolidated media ownership, telecommunications and…
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HE HAS A PAIR OF BlackBerrys on his desk, but his iPhone is what’s tucked in his jacket pocket. It goes with him always and everywhere.
He was first elected as MP in 2000, at the age of 24, in his Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, B.C. riding, but his official bio lists the former radio and TV reporter/commentator’s occupation as “broadcaster.”
He’s mentioned every now and then as a candidate for much higher office that the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.
And while his cabinet colleagues struggle with the multi-billion dollar requests from the likes of car companies…
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GATINEAU – James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, talked up the pending arrival of the new Canada Media Fund at the annual convention of the Association des producteurs de films et de television du Quebec (APFTQ).
"Technology has changed how we create, obtain, and enjoy film and television productions," Minister Moore said in his address on Tuesday. "Many producers have found new ways of reaching audiences in recent years. The industry must continue moving in this direction. The key to its success remains innovation. With this in mind, we recently announced the creation of the…
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MONTREAL – Astral Media urged the government to proceed with “caution” before amending any broadcast industry regulations, and encouraged a thorough examination of “the broader matrix of rules that serve to produce a carefully regulated balance between the various sectors of the industry”.
"The Canadian television industry has developed because of a careful balance in benefits, rights and obligations," said André Bureau, Astral’s chairman of the board, in a company statement. "It may well be that we have reached a point where a rethink is required. However, it has taken 40 years to establish this balance and we should be careful…
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CALGARY – Shaw Communications doesn’t take long to act.
In fact, says company president Peter Bissonnette, the decision to go after three CTV-owned stations made available to purchase for the low-low price of a dollar each was made on Wednesday, with an offer executed via a newspaper ad slated for today’s Globe and Mail, but scooped yesterday by Cartt.ca instead.
Within hours of hearing of the ad from Cartt.ca, CTV accepted and Shaw – after some due diligence and contracts we suppose – will own CKNX-TV in Wingham, Ont., CHWI-TV Windsor, Ont. And CKX-TV Brandon, Man., for three…
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TORONTO – About two hours after having been informed by Cartt.ca that an offer to buy three troubled TV stations was coming from Shaw Communications, CTV said it will accept the $3 offer.
An exclusive story broken by Cartt.ca this afternoon revealed that Shaw Communications was placing a full page newspaper ad in tomorrow and Saturday’s Globe and Mail, as well as The Hill Times on Monday morning.
The ad, signed by CEO Jim Shaw, warns Canadians their broadcasters are seeking a bailout worth hundreds of millions of dollars. “They call this Fee for Carriage. Without mincing words, this…
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