In ‘The Big Cel’ story in the Jan. 1 Special Report on Animation, Post and SFX (p. 14), Cassandra Schafhausen, Cinar vp of animation, laments: ‘ytv takes so much stuff from Nickelodeon.’ Clearly, Ms. Schafhausen has an incorrect perception of what ytv is, what it offers Canadian kids and the level of support it provides to the Canadian broadcast production community. Allow me to clarify.

Ms. Schafhausen may be surprised to learn that only 6% of animated programming on ytv is produced by Nickelodeon. As a condition of licence, ytv has a commitment to devote at least 60% of our programming schedule to Canadian programming. Of the 40% remaining schedule time, over a third (actually 35%) of this programming must be non-North American in origin.

Hence, by applying simple mathematics to our licence mandate (40% x 65% allowable North American), one can easily conclude that ytv’s allowance for u.s.-originated programming is about 26% maximum.

ytv has willingly followed these guidelines and, in fact, has also made a commitment to invest 35% of its annual gross revenues toward the acquisition, development, production and licensing of Canadian programming.

Canadian-produced shows such as Are You Afraid of the Dark?, ReBoot, Once Upon A Hamster and The Big Comfy Couch have all received support from ytv. The fact that many of these Canadian shows have also been successful in the u.s. (and therefore may be erroneously thought of as u.s. shows) is a testament to the quality of Canadian production. Since 1988, ytv has generated more than $200 million in independent Canadian productions.

It is frankly puzzling and frustrating to read Ms. Schafhausen’s suggestion that we are mostly a Nickelodeon programming delivery service. YTV Canada is a strong supporter of Canadian programming, both as a telecaster and as a producer. For Ms. Schafhausen to suggest otherwise is misleading and unfair.

Dale E. Taylor,

V-P, Programming and Production,

YTV Canada