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CBC CANCELLATION OF DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM WORRIES CANADIAN INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS

Ottawa, July 17, 2009—The Canadian Film and Television Production Association (CFTPA) is very disappointed CBC Newsworld has cancelled the award-winning documentary program, The Lens.  The Lens, previously known as Rough Cuts, has showcased about 175 Canadian documentaries from independent filmmakers over the past sixteen years.

“This is a very disturbing signal from Canada’s public broadcaster,” says Norm Bolen, President and CEO, CFTPA. “We understand the financial constraints all broadcasters are under but the documentary genre should be better represented and funded by the broadcasting sector. Cancelling this outlet for one-off, point-of-view documentaries by independent producers will further reduce the diversity of voices and stories told to Canadian audiences.”

The CFTPA has been reassured the CBC will keep other documentary-based programs such as The Passionate Eye, Doc Zone, and the Nature of Things on their schedule next season.

“But The Lens was the only CBC documentary program devoted exclusively to the works of independent producers,” says Mr. Bolen. “This cancellation will have a significant negative impact on the independent documentary production community and deprive Canadian audiences of seeing important and thought-provoking stories.”

Programs broadcast since The Lens first aired have won 53 prestigious national and international awards.

The CFTPA is a non-profit, trade association representing almost 400 companies 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.

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For further information please call:

Anne Trueman
Director of Communications & Media
Canadian Film and Television Production Association
Tel: 613 233 1444 ex 227 | Web: www.cftpa.ca