Private television broadcasters are spending more than ever before on original domestic programming, because Canadian audiences are embracing homegrown shows, according to a report released at the convention of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters in Ottawa.

Conventional, pay and specialty broadcasters put almost $1.5 billion into domestic programming in 2005/06, according to Broadcasting 2007: Report on the Industry.

‘Private broadcasters in this country recognize that their audiences want to see Canadian stories on television,’ said CAB president and CEO Glenn O’Farrell in a statement. The CAB, which represents private TV and radio broadcasters in Canada, wrapped its annual convention on Tuesday.

The 22-page report says expenditures by private broadcasters on Canadian programming have increased at a faster rate than broadcaster revenues. Between 2001/02 and 2005/06, expenditures by private conventional television increased from $540 million to $641 million. Over the same period, expenditures by specialty and pay services increased from $632 million to $915 million.

It notes that audiences are reacting with enthusiasm to this made-in-Canada programming. In spite of the increasing availability of foreign programming, Canadian TV services have increased their market share. Including both public and private conventional and specialty and pay-television services, the share going to Canadian television rose from 75.2% in 2002/03 to 78.7% in 2005/06.

‘The audience has spoken; this data clearly indicates that when you offer quality Canadian programming, the viewing public will respond favorably,’ concluded O’Farrell.

However, CAB and the spending habits of its members were also met by protests during the three-day conference. On Monday, about 300 boisterous ACTRA members gathered outside the Westin hotel and conference center to denounce the lack of spending on homegrown drama, which, according to the actors union, gets less than 10% of the $500 million spent annually on Hollywood shows.

‘Where I come from, if a duck looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. But when I hear the name Canadian broadcaster — that’s an oxymoron,’ said Corner Gas star Eric Peterson. ‘How can a Canadian broadcaster be a Canadian broadcaster when they have zero hours of new Canadian one-hour TV dramas on the air?’

‘We are colonized by American programming,’ added Trailer Park Boys actor Robb Wells.

According to the CAB report, broadcasters spent a total of $243.8 million on Canadian dramas and comedies in ’05/06, putting the genres in third place behind news ($477.4 million) and other information programming ($277.9 million). Sports comes in fourth at $230.3 million.

From Media in Canada