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CFTPA asks CRTC to reconsider decision that will cut Bell fund by 40%

Late yesterday CFTPA sent a letter to CRTC Chair, Charles Dalfen, asking that the CRTC review a July 16 ruling at the earliest possible date to ensure that new funding support to small market TV stations required of DTH operators does not cause unintentional harm to the private independent funds – the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, and the three funds supported by Star Choice (Shaw Broadcast Television Fund, Astral Media Harold Greenburg Fund, and Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund) – to which these companies currently contribute millions of dollars a year.

The CRTC has rejected proposals by ExpressVu and Star Choice to re-allocate half of their mandatory contribution from the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) to a new fund to support broadcaster-produced local and regional programming. The CRTC deemed this diversion of funds from the CTF "inappropriate”.

However, by directing the DTH operators to make a 0.4% contribution to a new fund to finance local programming for small market TV stations, the CRTC has effectively reduced their funding support to the private independent funds by up to 40%.

Such a cut would be a devastating blow to the Canadian new media industry, as the Bell Fund is currently its most important source of financial support, and the only private independent fund that focuses on new media content creation. "This cut is to the new media industry what the huge cut to the CTF in February was to Canadian TV, only worse. It is vital that Canadians have access to content made by Canadians in the online universe and the Bell Fund is a crucial part of that."

These private funds play an essential role in helping to finance the development and creation of world-renowned Canadian new media and interactive content, as well as drama, documentaries and programming targeted to Canadian children, youth and families.

"No funds should be diverted out of independent production - not the Bell Fund, not the Shaw Fund and certainly not the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) as originally proposed. As a representative of the independent production community, I cannot understand or support the logic of diminishing the resources available to independent producers of content in favour of funding directed towards broadcaster initiatives." says Dan Fill, CFTPA new media committee co-chair, and director of interactive development, Decode Entertainment.

"We are concerned that in its laudable efforts to protect the CTF, the Commission may have overlooked the considerable impact of this decision on these other funds" says Guy Mayson, CFTPA acting president and CEO. "We hope that they will take a closer look at the funding formula for the new local programming initiative and consider other options."

The letter submitted to the CRTC is available on the CFTPA website at www.cftpa.ca.

The CFTPA is a non-profit, trade association representing almost 400 companies involved in the Canadian production industry. The association promotes the general interests of Canadian producers by lobbying government on policy matters, negotiating labour agreements, and offering mentorship programs and copyright initiatives.

For more information on this, please contact:

Jane L. Thompson
Director of Communications
Canadian Film and Television Production Association

Tel: 613 233 1444 ext 227