Hull, Que.: In her presentation to the crtc on May 31, Radio-Canada vp French television Michele Fortin offered spirited criticism of comments made by Quebec’s two major private networks, Reseau tva and Television Quatre Saisons. Said Fortin: ‘One of them wants to dictate our choice of content and the other wants us to withdraw from the advertising market.’

If Rad-Can bashing seemed to be the order of the day, it was just another tough week for management at src, which was still steamed over last month’s specialty licence denials.

Rene Guimond, president and ceo of tqs, stated: ‘[src] is putting a lot of energy and big share of programming toward movies, drama, miniseries and a lot of sports. They don’t have a lot devoted to docs, children’s programming, programming for the elderly and regional programming. This does not respect their mandate, they’re staying away from arts and cultural programming.

‘The crtc should put licence conditions to forbid American movies [on src] because it’s not in their mandate to be in the business of American movies,’ Guimond added.

In a late development, however, src addressed this concern, announcing it would progressively reduce by half the number of American films on air over the term.

At the hearings, the private networks rallied support from such groups as the Quebec Conseil du Patronat (employers’ council) and l’Association des manufacturiers du Quebec (manufacturer’s association).

Fortin seemed stunned by the business groups’ proposals, but added src had in turn received support for its popular, generalist style of programming from many professional industry associations including sardec, Union des Artistes and the apftq, and from producers such as Cinar Corporation, Avanti Cine Video and Coscient Group. Even the csn trade union was onside.

Fortin says it’s important to remember private broadcasters also benefit from public dollars, and wondered aloud if the public would be willing to make up for any loss of advertising dollars.

‘There is no other region-by-region, national service in both languages [aside from cbc/src]…we do consultations from coast-to-coast,’ she said.

src is already spending $73 million in the regions and has promised $7 million more in the next licence period.

‘In the short term, [not getting the specialty channels] handicaps us and it remains a priority for us to be able to fragment as well, otherwise we run the risk of becoming irrelevant,’ cbc president Perrin Beatty told Playback. ‘It would be tragic,’ he added, ‘if the we are the only broadcaster in all of North America denied access to those tools – new media, digitization, specialty channels.’

According to information presented at the hearings by tqs, it had $61 million or 14% of all commercial airtime sales in the French-language tv market in 1997/98, src had 31% or $134 million, and tva had 49% or $215 million. The report pegged total sales for the year at $438 million, including sales by Tele-Quebec and the specialty networks.

Guimond and others suggested the crtc ensure src be brought within the jurisdiction of the Access to Information Act.

In an exchange with crtc chairperson Francoise Bertrand, Guimond said, ‘They should produce Canadian programming all evening and stop serving [up] films and American series.’

To which Bertrand responded: ‘Wherever they [src] are successful they should withdraw? If they’re doing something the private sector is, they should withdraw?’

Replied Guimond: ‘There’s been a change in dynamics; they’ve been moving toward the commercial competitive approach and the difference between mandate and actual programming is growing. I’m not saying they should withdraw from popular programming, but they should leave room for others.’

A presentation from the apftq said programs from independent producers, other than news and sports, constituted 46% of src’s primetime schedule during the past five years. The figure is currently at 50% for original programming and 25% for acquisitions; in response to intervenors at the hearings, src has promised that other than in its news programming, it will maintain a 50% quota for independently produced programs during prime time hours, over the next licence term.

The Corporation also announced as Playback went to press that src will air no fewer than 18 hours of Canadian documentaries plus 18 primetime performing arts programs each year.

The apftq says the majority of src’s financing should come from government, and wants the crtc to recommend the government increase that funding. The apftq also wants src to remain a generalist network, distinguished by quality and innovative programming, as well as take concrete steps to increase its children’s and drama programming. The producers also said Reseau de l’Information should be financed by parliamentary appropriation and asked that rdi’s overall spending on indie production be raised from 6% to 10%.

Richard Paradis, president of the Canadian Association of Film Distributors and Exporters, says since the cbc/src renewal is the first since the Feature Film Policy recommendations were handed down, the crtc should consider imposing formal conditions of licence on broadcasters regarding Canadian feature films.

‘Even if we are pleased with the recent announcements by Radio-Canada for $20 million [over five years] and cbc for $30 million, we want the commission to impose those numbers as conditions of licence,’ says Paradis. Otherwise, he says, the national public broadcaster could change its mind.

Paradis says the total commitment of $50 million over five years falls well short of the review committee recommendation of $125 million over five years, ‘but we realize the economic situation at the cbc is not the best and people are now asking them to get out of advertising. This money has to come from somewhere. We’d prefer to see it come from administration overhead.’

Paradis noted the new cbc fall program schedule did not include exclusive Canadian movie slots during Thursday and Sunday primetime as stated in an earlier cbc press release. He says private broadcasters should be given additional Cancon credits for promoting Canadian movies. Currently, he says close to 90% of all films shown on private tv in Canada are American.

‘Private broadcasters may be bitching against the cbc but they should be doing something, too.’

During the May 28 question period in the House, Bloc Quebecois mp Paul Crete (Kamouraska-Riviere du Loup-Temiscouata-Les Basques) put the following question to Heritage Minister Sheila Copps:

‘The crtc wants to require that the cbc reduce its advertising revenue, whereas the reps of the French service said that. . . any reduction in monies from ads would mean that there would be a reduction in services to the public. In view of the cuts to subsidies that have already been made, will she [the minister] allow the crtc to cut off the cbc without any compensation?’

The minister replied: ‘When we see what the people have said about the cbc, there seems to be a consensus as to what is being done on radio. There’s no advertising on radio at this time, so why does this honorable member say that the ad revenue equals quality? I don’t agree with that.’

With files from Leo Rice-Barker in Montreal.