CALGARY – Like everyone else, the Writers Guild of Canada says it’s pretty happy Shaw Communications decided to buy Canwest Global.
But also like a lot of others, the WGC wants the tangible benefits package improved.
The WGC insisted the Shaw benefits package should be worth no less than 10% of the $2.047 billion transaction as valued by the Commission, or at least $204.7 million of clear and incremental benefit to the industry.
Shaw has asked for less, given the intangible benefits of saving the company, keeping it intact and the costs already incurred to go through the CCAA process with the courts and debt holders.
Shaw’s proposed $200 million benefits package includes $95 million in unfulfilled benefits left from CanWest’s purchase of Alliance Atlantis in 2007 and carrying forward unfulfilled benefits in this way is not in keeping with CRTC policy, something chairman Konrad von Finckenstein has noted over the past couple of days.
The WGC wants Shaw to direct more money to the development and production of scripted Canadian drama.
“Finding a way to make the money show up in scripts and on screens not only benefits the entire broadcasting system, it benefits Canadian audiences too,” said WGC director of policy Kelly Lynne Ashton. “A real commitment by Shaw to the development and production of quality scripted Canadian drama will make this possible.”
The WGC also cautioned against allowing Shaw to claim what it says is self-serving spending on digital transmitters and morning newscasts as benefits. Both are within the regular cost of doing business as a broadcaster in Canada, say the writers.
The WGC also raised concerns with Shaw’s proposals around new media content. While the group agrees that digital media is a timely and worthy inclusion in any benefits package, it wants to ensure this funding goes specifically to development and production of new media content related to the scripted programming funded under the benefits package.
