Statement from Friends of Canadian Broadcasting on today’s CRTC report on the future of programming in Canada
FRIENDS congratulates the CRTC for its report on the future of programming in Canada, released earlier today. It is a comprehensive take on the challenges facing Canadian media and how they could be addressed.
“We congratulate the CRTC for its report on the future of programming in Canada, released earlier today. It is a comprehensive take on the challenges facing Canadian media and how they could be addressed.
“Ottawa needs to take this advice to heart and act quickly in the face of the crisis in Canadian local news and storytelling.
“The CRTC has now joined a broad and vocal chorus calling on the government to require foreign internet broadcasters to contribute fairly and equitably to the creation and promotion of Canadian programs, just as their Canadian competitors are required to do.
“The report also suggests the government permit Canadian companies to deduct the cost of ads placed only on those foreign online platforms that have committed to the Canadian media system, including financing of Canadian content. This recognizes that the government’s current approach of allowing full deduction of advertising expenses on all foreign tech giant platforms is draining precious resources from Canadian media at a time when they are starving for those same ad dollars.
“We would have liked the Commission to focus also on the survival of severely threatened local television stations, especially in small and medium-sized markets where 50% of local stations are forecast to close as early as 2021.
“With these thoughtful recommendations in hand, Ottawa has no excuse to delay action. Canadians expect and deserve a decisive response now.”
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For information:
Jim Thompson
[email protected] 613-447-9592