Montreal: Pleading for the financial future of Television Quatre Saisons, the ceo of the Communications Quebecor-led consortium applying for the licence says a fixed $8.5 million a year commitment to indie production is preferable to an investment tied to a percentage of programming expenditures. If the commission sets the bar too high, Franklin Delaney says the consortium could refuse the licence.

At crtc hearings in Montreal last week, Delaney said tqs should not be burdened more than its richer competitors. He said demands by producers for higher quotas were both ‘disappointing’ and ‘unrealistic.’

Delaney told the crtc tqs has invested $140 million in indie production since 1986, chalking up cumulative losses of $150 million over the period.

The consortium is asking for a seven-year licence.

In its submission, the apftq, representing Quebec producers, said Quebecor’s plans were vague at best and that its $2.3 million benefits package is $2 million less than the package put forward by Groupe Videotron.

A spokesperson for the producers said Quebecor ‘wants the commission to write them a blank cheque.’

The producers say the takeover bid makes no mention of a minimum annual independent production expenditure except for a benefit proposal of $1.8 million over five years. The apftq has suggested a three-year licence term.

Movie quota

In view of tqs’ heavy primetime movie schedule, Canadian Association of Film Distributors and Exporters president Dan Johnson asked the crtc to impose a minimum quota of one Canadian film in 12. cafde also asked that the proprietary rights condition imposed on ppv programs distributed on dth also be imposed on tqs.

In documents filed with the crtc, advertising agency Publicis bcp vp Pierre Arthur says the Quebecor consortium is the ‘ideal solution’ for tqs, offering both the financial resources and know-how to relaunch the network.

Tele-Metropole president Daniel Lamarre says the broadcaster neither supports nor opposes the application, but adds Quebecor has failed to address the serious structural problems in the francophone tv market.

Lamarre points out Quebecor has not provided solutions to the huge increase in available commercial airtime in Quebec, mainly due to the advent of 11 French-language specialty channels since 1985, or to the steadily declining cpm rate.

The crtc will make its decision known Aug. 22.