Our TV

You may have noticed that there are there are virtually no true community channels left since the cable companies started to “professionalize” them more than 10 years ago. The federal broadcast regulator (CRTC) is about to review the community television sector. This presents an historic opportunity to take back control of this important community resource and to create independent media that reflect our diversity of voices.

Speak out! Send a letter tot he CRTC and tell them to make sure you have a voice in your community TV.

Australian performers working in Canada are surprised to see so little Canadian TV programs on Canadian TV broadcasters.

“Looking at Canada’s prime time TV schedules, I’m shocked at the dearth of Canadian TV programs. In Australia, government regulations – including a floor for drama – means most of the Top 20 TV programs are in fact Australian,” said Simon Burke, President of Australia’s Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA). Burke is currently in Toronto performing the role of Captain von Trapp in the Mirvish production of The Sound of Music at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

According to the Australian television audience measurement company OzTAM, the majority of the Top 20 most popular TV programs in Australia are Australian produced. In contrast, of the Top 20 TV programs in Canada for the week of November 30th, just four were Canadian produced, none of which were in the Top 10.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority requires strong Australian content on all Australian broadcasters, including a minimum of Australian drama. These rules have led to an average of 631 hours of Australian drama on Australian screens every year (Source: Screen Australia, National Survey of Feature Film and TV Drama Production, 2008/09). With the Australian Government also committing an additional $137 million to its public broadcaster for increased drama output – this will lead to even higher levels in the future.

In 1999, Canada’s broadcast regulator, the CRTC, relaxed CanCon rules for private broadcasters, eliminating drama requirements altogether. Since, Canadian English-language drama has been a rarity on prime time Canadian TV.

“It’s time the CRTC looked to countries like Australia to see what strong content regulations can do for Canadian TV,” said Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President, in advance of ACTRA’s appearance today at CRTC hearings on the future of Canadian TV.

“It’s a real shame that while working here in Canada, most of what I see on TV is American. Although we’d love to see more Australian drama, because Australian broadcasters must air Australian TV programs, our own TV shows are a hit,” said Burke.

The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) is the Australian union and professional organization for 22,000 members working in the media, entertainment, sports and arts industries in Australia.

“Don’t let the broadcasters’ and cables’ slap-fest hijack the agenda”

Canadian performers appeared before the CRTC today to urge the regulator to focus on getting more Canadian programming in prime time as the regulator re-writes its TV policy. TV stars Wendy Crewson, Nicholas Campbell and ACTRA National President Ferne Downey called on the CRTC to make broadcasters meet their obligations under the Broadcasting Act by forcing them to invest more in Canadian drama and give it a place in their primetime schedules.

“We’re telling the CRTC not to let the slap-fest between the broadcasters and big cable hi-jack the agenda. These hearings are about the broadcasters’ responsibility to give Canadians more of our own programming,” said actor Nicholas Campbell. “We’re not asking for a lot here. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that Canadians can see two hours of our own original, scripted programming in prime time a week.”

“The broadcasters have been getting a free ride for too long, it has to stop. The current minimal CanCon requirements are diminishing our stories and our jobs, unless this turns around we will become a branch plant for American culture,” said Wendy Crewson.

Canadian English-language drama has been a rarity in prime time since 1999 when the CRTC relaxed Canadian content rules. Since then, Canadian private broadcasters have been saturating Canada’s prime time schedules with U.S. shows. Last year they spent $740 million on U.S. and foreign programming and just $54 million on Canadian English-language drama and comedies.

ACTRA’s solution includes making English-language conventional broadcasters commit to spending at least 6% of their gross revenues on scripted drama and comedy and to airing a minimum two hours of original Canadian drama in prime time.

“Our proposal is flexible, balanced and forward thinking. It serves the interests of our industry as a whole, not just one or two powerful players. Most important, it ensures that Canadian audiences have access to our own airwaves,” said Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President. “We’ve been waiting for this chance for 10 years. The CRTC has to seize the opportunity to get this right, fix the rules and get more Canada on TV.”

Some of Canada’s top TV stars marched en masse to Parliament Hill today to demand more Canada on Canadian TV. As the CRTC launches hearings on the future of TV broadcasting, performers across the country are calling on the regulator to put Canadian programming first by ending the free-ride for big cable and private broadcasters.

“Today is about reminding Ottawa and the CRTC that big cable and broadcasters don’t own the airwaves, we do. It’s about taking back our TV and making sure there is space on our airwaves for Canadian stories,” said Nicholas Campbell.

“We’ve been waiting 10 years to get the rules fixed. If the CRTC gets it wrong again our airwaves will continue to be dominated by U.S. programming, our industry will be crushed and we will lose yet another generation of actors and writers to L.A.,” said Mark McKinney. “We need to seize this moment of opportunity so our talent will stay to serve and create shows for a Canadian TV industry that is poised to explode in ambition, reach and profitability.”

Stars at the Ottawa rally included: Dalmar Abuzeid (Degrassi), Charlotte Arnold (Degrassi) Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci’s Inquest/ZOS), Jackson Davies (Beachcombers), James McGowan (The Border) Mark McKinney (Kids in the Hall/Slings & Arrows), Carlo Rota (Little Mosque/24), Zaib Shaikh (Little Mosque/Metropia), R.H. Thomson (October 1970) and Tonya Lee Williams (The Border/The Young and the Restless). Award-winning recording artist Gordie Sampson also made a special musical appearance.

Canadian English-language drama has been a rarity in prime time since 1999 when the CRTC relaxed Canadian content rules. Since then, private broadcasters have been saturating Canada’s prime time schedules with U.S. shows. Last year they spent $740 million on U.S. and foreign programming and just $54 million on Canadian English-language drama.

“The CRTC must take the public’s interest to heart and stop giving both private broadcasters and big cable the wide breadth they have enjoyed for so long. We’re the ones that end up paying for this with higher cable bills and less Canadian programming on our airwaves,” said Tonya Lee Williams. “The fact is both sides need to be doing more.”

ACTRA is asking the CRTC to direct conventional TV broadcasters to invest at least 6% of their gross revenues in Canadian drama and air a minimum of two hours a week of original scripted Canadian drama and comedy in prime time.

“How do we know what it is to be Canadian if we can’t see and share our experiences, our own lives, our communities, our heroes and our history on TV, the most popular and pervasive cultural medium in history? If Canadian broadcasters don’t give us space to tell our stories, no one else will,” said Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President.

“AFM Canada is pleased to support today’s action by securing the participation of one of our many celebrated members, Gordie Sampson,” says Bill Skolnik, the AFM Vice President from Canada. “We believe that Canadian airwaves belong to the people of this country. It is both our duty and responsibility as citizens to ensure a place for Canadian content on all our broadcast stations.”

ACTRA also held a press conference at the CRTC hearings in Gatineau, launched a lobbying campaign on Parliament Hill and organized local activities in Halifax, Edmonton, Regina and Winnipeg.

ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is the national organization of professional performers working in the English-language recorded media in Canada. ACTRA represents the interests of 21,000 members across Canada – the foundation of Canada’s highly acclaimed professional performing community.

The position and views in this statement are supported and endorsed by the American Federation of Musicians, Canada representing over 17,000 professional musicians.

Brad Oswald calls the localtv vs. tvtax showdown like it is in the Winnipeg Free Press:

What this public-relations skirmish amounts to is very rich folks fighting with other very rich folks.

Given the billions both sides have reaped for decades by being part of what amounts to a very exclusive government-endorsed club, it’s hard to feel very sorry for either side in this dispute.

But fee for carriage is not a tax. It’s a reasonable proposal that would require one side to become only slightly less obscenely profitable to provide some small relief to another side which is not quite as obscenely profitable as it once was.

Actor Robb Wells, aka Ricky from the Trailer Park Boys, writes about why ‘Canadian programming matters’ in Saturday’s Gazette:

Being able to tune into Canadian TV drama and comedy is critical to the cultural health of our country. How do we know what it is to be Canadian if we can’t see and share our experiences, our own lives, our communities, our heroes, and our history on TV, the most popular and pervasive cultural medium in history?

It’s time the CRTC made big cable and broadcasters do their part. If Canadian cable companies and broadcasters don’t make space for Canadian TV no one else will. And if they don’t – then why do we need them?

Canadian broadcasters have joined hands to tell us that ‘Local TV matters’. We agree, it does.

They want cable companies to pay for it. We agree, they should.

But we also believe that having Canadian programming on ‘local TV’ also matters.

It’s time to end the free ride for both broadcasters and big cable and make them give something back for the money they earn from Canadian consumers.

To us, the most important conversation – the one that isn’t being heard – is about content.  The rules say you should be getting a good selection of Canadian programming from your cable companies and broadcasters – including dramas, comedies and local news.  But for years we haven’t been getting what we’re paying for with our cable fees or our taxes.

What good are Canadian broadcasters if they’re only going to air American programming?

Private broadcasters want you to think the only thing at stake is local programming – namely news.  That’s because they don’t want to talk about the crisis in Canadian drama and the fact that Canadians can’t see our own scripted series on our conventional TV networks.

So why is that?  Canadian English-language drama has been a rarity on prime time since 1999 – the year that the CRTC relaxed the rules for private broadcasters.  Since then, private broadcasters have been filling Canada’s prime time schedules with U.S. shows.  Last year they spent $740 million on U.S. and foreign programming and just $54 million on Canadian English-language drama.

Being able to tune into Canadian TV drama is critical to the cultural health of our country.  How do we know what it is to be Canadian if we can’t see and share our experiences, our own lives, our communities, our heroes, our history on TV, the most popular and pervasive cultural medium in history?

That’s why ACTRA is telling the CRTC to make broadcasters do their part in exchange for getting their licenses to operate.  Having a TV broadcasting licence is not a right – it’s a privilege, a privilege the Canadian public gives them.  A private broadcaster’s obligation in exchange for this privilege is to contribute to our cultural identity by supporting, promoting, airing and celebrating fully Canadian stories.

So what do we want?  We want them to spend a percentage of their revenues on Canadian programming and drama.  And we want them to air two hours of drama in prime time each week.  We don’t think that’s too much to ask.

When it comes down to it, our ‘local’ includes drama and comedy.  If Canadian broadcasters don’t make space for Canadian TV no one else will.   And if they don’t – then why do we need them?

Toronto – Canadian performers have provided the CRTC with a prescription to rejuvenate Canada’s ailing broadcasting system. ACTRA’s proposal would ensure that Canadians can see our own dramatic programming in prime time while making sure broadcasters and cable companies do their fair share to support the broadcasting system that serves them so well.

“It’s clear TV’s status quo isn’t working. However, rather than tear down our regulatory system like the broadcasters and cable companies would have us do, we should work together to build and improve the system. We’re urging the CRTC to seize the opportunity presented by these hearings to take a bold and creative approach,” said Ferne Downey, ACTRA National President.

In its submission to the CRTC’s wide-ranging broadcasting policy review, ACTRA proposes:

* keeping Cancon spending and programming rules in place for specialty TV channels and expanding that model to conventional broadcasters;
* setting broadcast-group-based expenditure and exhibition requirements for drama, docs and children’s programming; and
* requiring cable companies to pay conventional broadcasters fairly for their signals if broadcasters commit to spending the new revenues on Canadian programming.

“The Canadian broadcast industry has been facing economic challenges just like other industries in this recession. Unfortunately the dearth of Canadian TV drama in prime time is the biggest challenge over the past 10 years and broadcasters don’t want to talk about,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA National Executive Director.

Canadian English-language drama has been a rarity on prime time since 1999 – the year that the CRTC relaxed the rules for private broadcasters. Since then, private broadcasters have been filling Canada’s prime time schedules with U.S. shows. Last year they spent $740 million on U.S. and foreign programming and just $54 million on Canadian English-language drama.

“What use are Canadian broadcasters if they only air foreign content? It’s time to end the free ride for broadcasters and big cable and make them earn the money Canadian consumers give them by giving something back,” said Downey.

“Instead of licensing high-quality, distinctive Canadian drama to attract audiences, the broadcasters consistently whine about their current minimal regulatory obligations. And big cable is poised once again to pass the buck to Canadians if fee-for-carriage is finally approved – that’s wrong. It’s only fair that those profiting most from the system should be reaching into their own pockets to contribute back to its ongoing vitality,” said Waddell.

Check out the full submission.

ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is the national organization of professional performers working in the English-language recorded media in Canada. ACTRA represents the interests of 21,000 members across Canada – the foundation of Canada’s highly acclaimed professional performing community.