Mntreal: The crtc issued three important broadcast notices on Thursday, Dec. 23, generally reaffirming its new policy position including its position on time credits for priority programming as well as its decision not to create broadcast incentives for children’s programs. Some revisions based on industry interventions have been adopted. The other notices (PN ’99-204 and ’99-206) concern amendments to pay-television regulations and procedures for the implementation of the new TV Policy, effective Sept. 1.

The crtc says final-round comments on (PN ’99-205) proposed amendments to priority programmimg requirements for the four large multi-station groups – ctv, CanWest Global, wic and TVA Group – must be filed by the four groups no later than Feb. 7.

In the second stage, other interested parties may file comments with respect to the commission’s proposals and/or the multi-station groups’ comments with both the crtc and the licensees no later than March 8.

In the third and final stage, comments must be filed by the affected licensees by March 28. The crtc expects to release its decision with any amendments in the spring.

Following is a summary of priority programming decisions in PN ’99-205:

* The crtc confirmed the introduction of three new priority (Canadian) program types: long-form documentaries of no less than 30 minutes, regionally produced programs, and entertainment magazines.

Qualifying entertainment programs must be at least 30 minutes long, and devote two-thirds of their time to Canadian content.

On regional benefit issues, the commission says Vancouver will continue to be classified as a non-regional centre, but programs produced on Vancouver Island and French-language programs produced in all areas outside of Montreal qualify as regional.

* Programming definitions used for conventional networks also apply to specialty and pay-tv broadcasters.

* Programs of less than five minutes, except for news, that meet the content criteria used for longer programs will be considered Canadian programs.

CFTPA concerns

According to the crtc, the ‘majority of parties were in general agreement’ with the criteria proposed for the new 150% and 125% time credits as applied to ctv, CanWest Global, wic and tva.

Apparently representing the ‘non-majority,’ the cftpa says the TV Policy (PN ’99-97) ‘will have the unintended consequence of halting and possibly reversing the progress made over the past decade in creating a better Canadian presence in the peak viewing periods and in children’s prime time.’

In addition, the cftpa believes ‘the policy is out of step with the federal government’s cultural policies and is based on a faulty understanding of the financial structure of Canadian program production.’

In particular the cftpa is opposed to the following policy decisions:

* elimination of spending requirements for the four large multi-station groups;

* elimination of requirements for children’s programming;

* the drastic reduction in the incentives to produce the highly expensive category of distinctively Canadian drama programming by 1) removing the bonus credit against overall Canadian content levels for all Canadian drama programming, and 2) introducing a new 125% bonus against the ‘priority’ requirements for less distinctively Canadian drama programming (i.e. that which achieves six to nine points);

* no first-run requirements for either the 10-point or six- to nine-point drama programs that will benefit from additional credit bonus; and,

* the inclusion of game shows or other programs with no regional reflection as priority programming.

In children’s programming, the crtc maintains the 150% and 125% time credits available for primetime drama will not be available to large, multi-station programs broadcast in ‘children’s prime time.’

The crtc says it ‘has examined the amount of children’s programming broadcast by both private and public broadcasters and concluded that there was a sufficient amount available to audiences.’

‘The Commission also notes that applying the 150% and 125% credits to children’s programming shown throughout the day could allow licensees who broadcast a great deal of children’s programming to drastically reduce the number of hours of priority programming broadcast’ in primetime.

The crtc adds a bonus is still available to stations outside the four multi-station groups, and that because of ‘the potential risk of a decrease in the production and broadcast of children’s drama,’ it will ‘monitor the availability of Canadian children’s programming in the broadcasting system, and, if necessary, consider the introduction of exhibition requirements for children’s programming for individual licensees at licence renewal.’

In other issues, the crtc says productions qualifying for the time credit are limited to three broadcasts for each licensee within a two-year window, starting with the first conventional or specialty (but not pay) broadcast in a market.

There is wide support from intervenors that drama and comedy program coproductions and coventures qualify for the 150% and 125% bonuses.