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Front Page, Industry News
CRTC shakes up CanCon requirements
Friday March 13th 2015Canadian broadcasters will have less stringent Canadian content requirements, no longer have genre protection around specialty channels and be required to put funds toward creating higher quality home-grown productions as a result of the findings of the CRTC’s Let Talk TV public hearings.
In an Ottawa speech to the Canadian Club Thursday, Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the CRTC, outlined the first wave of changes intended to develop higher quality Canadian programming.
“Today there is a fundamental shift in the television landscape. People watch content in the ways, on the devices and at the times that most suit them. The role of the broadcaster is changing, as a result,” said Blais. “When you strip away the when and the how of the viewing experience, you’re left with only the what. And the what – content, in other words — matters more now than it ever has before.”
Blais characterized the television viewing climate as being in an “an age of abundance” and citing the need for “quality” Canadian programming to compete for viewer’s attentions spans, which is the goal of the outlined changes.
Firstly, Canadian content restrictions will be lessened, except in prime-time viewing window from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. when viewership numbers remain high. Specialty channels will now have show 35 per cent Canadian programming throughout their daily schedules, and some local stations will not have to have any CanCon in non-prime time viewing time slots.
Specialty channels like HGTV, Space and MTV Canada which have had genre protection in order to limit competition and also license requirements that limited what kind of content they could show, will see those restrictions lifted, allowing more flexibility on what they can air.
Lastly, all Canadian broadcasters will be required to invest in homegrown production, and there are some changes to productions being labelled Canadian content. There will be pilot projects aimed at creating higher quality Canadian programming. One will aim at productions that are adaptations of best selling novels written by Canadian authors, and the other will focus on series that have $2 million budget per hour long episode, but both will require the production have a Canadian screenwriter, leading actor or production company to qualify as Canadian content.
In terms of the potential fall out from a looser CanCon policy or local quotas, the question is what kind of local programming might affected. There is also a question as to whether it could potentially affect news programming.
Thursday’s changes follow an initial decision to allow Canadian’s access to American commercials during the Super Bowl.
The CRTC still has to act on issues such as cable unbundling and a pick & pay channel option. This issues, along with the changes to specialty channels, could potentially be even more bad news for smaller, niche channels.
The changes are still being analyzed, but represent a big shakeup in Canada’s broadcast landscape.
“It’s a lengthy decision and we’re studying it closely,” said Scott Henderson, vice-president, Communications, Bell Media when asked for a response. “We look forward to the next set of announcements expected next week.”
In his speech Thursday Blais characterized the changes as big, bold initiatives that are necessary at this time.
“Success will not be universal. Some will thrive; others fail. New players will emerge,” said Blais. “But I assure you this is the right way forward.”
Source: Toronto Star
Front Page, Industry News
CRTC shakes up CanCon requirements
Friday March 13th 2015Canadian broadcasters will have less stringent Canadian content requirements, no longer have genre protection around specialty channels and be required to put funds toward creating higher quality home-grown productions as a result of the findings of the CRTC’s Let Talk TV public hearings.
In an Ottawa speech to the Canadian Club Thursday, Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the CRTC, outlined the first wave of changes intended to develop higher quality Canadian programming.
“Today there is a fundamental shift in the television landscape. People watch content in the ways, on the devices and at the times that most suit them. The role of the broadcaster is changing, as a result,” said Blais. “When you strip away the when and the how of the viewing experience, you’re left with only the what. And the what – content, in other words — matters more now than it ever has before.”
Blais characterized the television viewing climate as being in an “an age of abundance” and citing the need for “quality” Canadian programming to compete for viewer’s attentions spans, which is the goal of the outlined changes.
Firstly, Canadian content restrictions will be lessened, except in prime-time viewing window from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. when viewership numbers remain high. Specialty channels will now have show 35 per cent Canadian programming throughout their daily schedules, and some local stations will not have to have any CanCon in non-prime time viewing time slots.
Specialty channels like HGTV, Space and MTV Canada which have had genre protection in order to limit competition and also license requirements that limited what kind of content they could show, will see those restrictions lifted, allowing more flexibility on what they can air.
Lastly, all Canadian broadcasters will be required to invest in homegrown production, and there are some changes to productions being labelled Canadian content. There will be pilot projects aimed at creating higher quality Canadian programming. One will aim at productions that are adaptations of best selling novels written by Canadian authors, and the other will focus on series that have $2 million budget per hour long episode, but both will require the production have a Canadian screenwriter, leading actor or production company to qualify as Canadian content.
In terms of the potential fall out from a looser CanCon policy or local quotas, the question is what kind of local programming might affected. There is also a question as to whether it could potentially affect news programming.
Thursday’s changes follow an initial decision to allow Canadian’s access to American commercials during the Super Bowl.
The CRTC still has to act on issues such as cable unbundling and a pick & pay channel option. This issues, along with the changes to specialty channels, could potentially be even more bad news for smaller, niche channels.
The changes are still being analyzed, but represent a big shakeup in Canada’s broadcast landscape.
“It’s a lengthy decision and we’re studying it closely,” said Scott Henderson, vice-president, Communications, Bell Media when asked for a response. “We look forward to the next set of announcements expected next week.”
In his speech Thursday Blais characterized the changes as big, bold initiatives that are necessary at this time.
“Success will not be universal. Some will thrive; others fail. New players will emerge,” said Blais. “But I assure you this is the right way forward.”
Source: Toronto Star
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Front Page, Industry News
CRTC shakes up CanCon requirements
Friday March 13th 2015Canadian broadcasters will have less stringent Canadian content requirements, no longer have genre protection around specialty channels and be required to put funds toward creating higher quality home-grown productions as a result of the findings of the CRTC’s Let Talk TV public hearings.
In an Ottawa speech to the Canadian Club Thursday, Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the CRTC, outlined the first wave of changes intended to develop higher quality Canadian programming.
“Today there is a fundamental shift in the television landscape. People watch content in the ways, on the devices and at the times that most suit them. The role of the broadcaster is changing, as a result,” said Blais. “When you strip away the when and the how of the viewing experience, you’re left with only the what. And the what – content, in other words — matters more now than it ever has before.”
Blais characterized the television viewing climate as being in an “an age of abundance” and citing the need for “quality” Canadian programming to compete for viewer’s attentions spans, which is the goal of the outlined changes.
Firstly, Canadian content restrictions will be lessened, except in prime-time viewing window from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. when viewership numbers remain high. Specialty channels will now have show 35 per cent Canadian programming throughout their daily schedules, and some local stations will not have to have any CanCon in non-prime time viewing time slots.
Specialty channels like HGTV, Space and MTV Canada which have had genre protection in order to limit competition and also license requirements that limited what kind of content they could show, will see those restrictions lifted, allowing more flexibility on what they can air.
Lastly, all Canadian broadcasters will be required to invest in homegrown production, and there are some changes to productions being labelled Canadian content. There will be pilot projects aimed at creating higher quality Canadian programming. One will aim at productions that are adaptations of best selling novels written by Canadian authors, and the other will focus on series that have $2 million budget per hour long episode, but both will require the production have a Canadian screenwriter, leading actor or production company to qualify as Canadian content.
In terms of the potential fall out from a looser CanCon policy or local quotas, the question is what kind of local programming might affected. There is also a question as to whether it could potentially affect news programming.
Thursday’s changes follow an initial decision to allow Canadian’s access to American commercials during the Super Bowl.
The CRTC still has to act on issues such as cable unbundling and a pick & pay channel option. This issues, along with the changes to specialty channels, could potentially be even more bad news for smaller, niche channels.
The changes are still being analyzed, but represent a big shakeup in Canada’s broadcast landscape.
“It’s a lengthy decision and we’re studying it closely,” said Scott Henderson, vice-president, Communications, Bell Media when asked for a response. “We look forward to the next set of announcements expected next week.”
In his speech Thursday Blais characterized the changes as big, bold initiatives that are necessary at this time.
“Success will not be universal. Some will thrive; others fail. New players will emerge,” said Blais. “But I assure you this is the right way forward.”
Source: Toronto Star
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