Bell vows to maintain CanCon; TLN says ethnic stations could be hurt by changes to system

BCE Inc. says it is producing Canadian content (CanCon) above mandated levels and will continue to do so, no matter what the CRTC decides new standards should be. The company made the remarks on Thursday, May 22 during the sixth day of a commission proceeding looking into the CanCon regime. Mark Graham, senior vice-president of legal and regulatory affairs at Bell, told the five-member panel that while Canada’s broadcasters are facing operational and financial challenges, the firm regards this as a moment of possibility. Bell Media is a powerhouse, he asserted, placing Canadian programming at the centre. “We have not asked for any reduction to our Canadian programming expenditure obligations,” Graham remarked. “Our proposal does not fully level the playing field with foreign streamers, and we will continue to carry a greater obligation and make a greater contribution.” Sean Cohan, president of Bell Media, echoed that theme. “Simply put, we compete against largely unregulated digital giants in a crowded and rapidly changing marketplace,” he said. “Producing and marketing great Canadian content is one of our tools for success, despite market challenges. We generate Canadian stories to entertain, inform, challenge and delight both Canadian and global audiences.” The CRTC’s proposed changes to the system would see the list of eligibility for CanCon status grow from 10 to 15 key job positions held by Canadians. The commission would continue its current cooperation with the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO) in determining what makes a production Canadian. Another proposal would see showrunners required to be Canadian. Jonathan Daniels, Bell’s VP of regulatory law, was among the seven members of the company who appeared before the commission. He had two suggested amendments to the CRTC proposals. Firstly, the new flexibility for points, allowing for adaptability when considering Canadian content, must be contingent on adoption of CAVCO regulations on equity and intellectual property ownership of Canadian shows. Secondly, a program with a non-Canadian showrunner could still be classified as Canadian if it has an exclusive Canadian premiere window, for at least two years, on a Canadian broadcasting distribution undertaking. “These proposals would ensure that Canadian decisionmakers remain at the heart of Canadian programming and foster collaboration between Canadian broadcasters and foreign streamers,” he said. The suggested changes came under fire from the TLN Media Group Inc., which appeared later in the morning after Bell’s one-hour, 20-minute presentation. President Aldo Di Felice warned that changing the current system could harm ethnic broadcasters. “The proposed shift from a 10-point to a 15-point certification model may offer more flexibility in theory but in practice it could make it harder for multicultural and ethnic programs to qualify as Canadian,” he stated. “Productions like ours, and those of the independent producers we work with, often earn six to eight points, not due to lack of Canadian involvement but because of the formats and structures we use which differ from mainstream models.” Many of the roles added to the criteria, including showrunners, are not found in TLN productions, he noted. He advocated for keeping the current six-out-of-10 rule. Failing that, shows could qualify as Canadian if 60 per cent of the creative team were citizens of this country. Brad Danks is the CEO of OUTtv Network Inc. He took part in the hearings as part of the Independent Broadcast Group (IBG). He supports the points system introduced by the CRTC but also agrees that the six-out-of-10 regulation could apply to smaller productions. He similarly endorsed the idea of including showrunner as an eligible title, a suggestion which the commission endorsed and which has come up for discussion several times in the hearings. The showrunner is often a major player in the English-language television world but rarely features in French-language productions, the CRTC was told by intervenors earlier in the hearing. Non-scripted programs usually do not use a showrunner. IBG lawyer Joel Fortune told the panel that much is at risk in the current Canadian broadcasting system. That will only escalate over the next decade, he predicted. “Without a strong Canadian-owned broadcasting system, with a diverse range of services, like we have now, at least, the more realistic question might be 'what isn’t at risk?’,” he asked. Appearing alongside Danks and Fortune was Michelle van Beusekom, president and CEO of British Columbia public broadcaster the Knowledge Network. She called for the continuation of exemptions around producing programs of national importance for educational networks like hers. The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) wants more focus put on people in front of the camera. “Canadians love to see other Canadians on screen,” union president Eleanor Noble commented. “This is why ACTRA has long advocated for a star system, similar to the one in Quebec, to highlight the highest paid Canadian performers in any production. We therefore strongly urge the commission to allocate two points each for the first and second lead performers, similar to showrunners, directors, and screenwriters.” She raised the alarm about the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in film and television. She said AI-generated dubbing and background scenes should not be considered CanCon when assessing Canadianness in productions. The CRTC hearings are scheduled to conclude next Tuesday. ppark@thewirereport.ca

Bell vows to maintain CanCon; TLN says ethnic stations could be hurt by changes to system

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By Paul Park
| May 23, 2025

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Bell vows to maintain CanCon; TLN says ethnic stations could be hurt by changes to system

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