Don’t fund new media with existing CTF dollars: interveners

The Canadian Television Fund should not be tapped to fund new media projects, unless new money sources are found, such as a levy on ISP revenues. That's the view of the majority of respondents to the CTF's Task Force Report, which calls on the CTF to divert some of its budget to support new media.The hearing into the Task Force Report begins at the CRTC on February 4. Although the Task Force recommended allocating up to $25 million of CTF revenues to support Canadian programs designed for new media platforms, Canadian New Media reported earlier this week that no dedicated new media companies or industry associations would be appearing before the CRTC. Excerpted below are some of the arguments the commission will hear for and against adding new media to the scope of the CTF. "Although DOC applauds the notion of creating a fund for new media, we cannot support the idea of carving $25 million out of the CTF to support this initiative. DOC believes that this funding should be additional, not taken from a scarce resource. Additionally, DOC believes that there should be genre allocations for this funding, whatever form it takes." - Documentary Organisation of Canada"Concerning new media, ACTRA reiterates its position that current CTF resources should not be diverted to fund new media projects. ACTRA supports funding new media projects, but only from new sources of funds. The most appropriate source of such funds would be a levy on revenues of Internet Service Providers, as proposed by the Canadian Coalition of Audio-visual Unions in its submission to the review of the regulatory frameworks for broadcasting distribution undertakings and discretionary programming services. The other source could be a portion of new resources raised from BDUs as we discuss below." - Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists"If the Commission thinks that a $25 million fund should be set up for new media investments, then a new source should be found. Maybe that new source is ISPs." - Directors Guild of Canada"The WGC strongly supports additional financing for new media production provided that it is not at the expense of financing for television production. Television programs are still meeting the needs of the majority of Canadian audiences and act as a driver to send audiences to new media for more entertainment. Cutting television financing to finance more new media would be counter productive. At the same time, Canadians do need to have more Canadian entertainment choices on digital platforms and this requires more funding. New revenues, such as a regulated contribution from ISPs, need to be found to finance more new media production." - Writers Guild of Canada "The Bell Fund specifically supports Recommendation No. 7 whereby the Task Force recommends allocating $25 million of current and additional future CTF revenues to supporting Canadian programs designed for new media platforms. There are few resources available for funding new media projects with or without a broadcast component....There is a great demand from broadcasters, producers and audiences to have Canadian content programs on new media platforms (ie websites, wireless content, consoles) regardless of whether they support a specific television component or not. Increasing available financing for standalone new media productions will encourage growth of the new media production sector while it enhances the available Canadian new media content." - Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund "The CFTPA opposes the recommendation that $25 million be diverted from existing CTF operations to fund new media content creation. We recommend that $2 to $3 million be allocated to a one-year pilot project to support the development and creation of such content. The CRTC's New Media Project Initiative should examine options for raising new sources of funding to support the development and creation of Canadian new media content." - Canadian Film and Television Production Association "We commend the Commission for making this much needed recommendation. We respectfully request that children's programming be allocated a fair portion of this new media funding from the CTF. Children's programs are most adaptable to various platforms and its audience expects the multiple viewing experience. Children are early adapters of new technology and this audience expects a multiple viewing experience." - Shaw Rocket Fund"The first recommendation in this regard is to create a new envelope within the CTF dedicated to new media projects and the second is for the CRTC to amend its policy with respect to certified independent production funds in order to provide such funds with greater flexibility to support new media projects. TELUS supports these recommendations; however, TELUS considers that enabling BDUs to have more flexibility on where to direct their contributions would better reflect the values and priorities of all stakeholders." - Telus Corp.

Don’t fund new media with existing CTF dollars: interveners

Broadcast | February 1, 2008

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