Headline, Industry News

ACTRA wants more Canadian content

Toronto – Canadian performers are disappointed the CRTC has not yet chosen to take positive action to reverse the current crisis in English-language Canadian television drama. However, ACTRA is cautiously optimistic because the CRTC’s decision states that it will address the destructive 1999 policy, that removed drama spending requirements, at the Canadian broadcaster’s upcoming licence renewal hearings. 

“Without regulation Canadian broadcasters will continue to fill their prime-time slots with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of U.S.-made programming,” said Stephen Waddell, ACTRA’s National Executive Director. “We must not let the presentation of Canadian stories continue to be marginalized on our public airwaves.”

As broadcast licence renewals will begin next year, ACTRA will continue to demand Canada’s private broadcasters spend at least 7% of their advertising revenues on new Canadian English-language drama programming and to schedule a minimum of two hours of new Canadian dramas in real prime-time (Sunday to Thursday, 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.).

“The CRTC itself recognizes that French-language broadcasters spend 7% of their revenues on drama. The CRTC should make the rest of Canada’s broadcasters spend as much on English-language drama programming at their licence renewal hearings in 2008,” said Richard Hardacre ACTRA’s National President.

“There is no excuse now, with the new flexibility granted by the CRTC for additional advertising revenues, that broadcasters cannot increase their contributions to the production and exhibition of English-language drama programming.”