The CRTC is not convinced that TV drama needs more help and is expected to take little or no action to boost production or viewership of English-language series when, later this month, it responds to recommendations made by lobby and industry groups, say sources close to the process.

According to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, CRTC commissioners recently warned that the federal response will be bad news for the drama lobby, suggesting that the commission will not push for more funding from broadcasters nor rethink its controversial 1999 Television Policy, both of which were foremost among the recommendations made by the union umbrella group, the Canadian Coalition of Audiovisual Unions.

‘Don’t expect the CRTC to reverse their 1999 Television Policy,’ said one source. ‘English-language TV drama will continue to struggle.’

CRTC vice-chair Andree Wylie also also recently made some telling remarks to union heads, pointing to low-budget shows such as Train 48 and Trailer Park Boys as evidence that production is making a comeback without extra cash, said other sources.

Many blame the CRTC’s most recent TV Policy, which changed the rules for several key genres, for the slump in production of domestic TV drama. There were only six one-hour dramas on the network skeds for the ’03/04 season, roughly half that of 1999/00.

Wylie is central to the CRTC’s investigation into drama. Late last year the commission asked for ideas from the industry and the public about how to boost production and viewership of domestic English-language drama, bringing forth submissions from the CCAU, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and the CBC, among others.

The commission has finished its report and is expected to release it sometime in May, after the lengthy translation process.

-www.crtc.gc.ca