Christin Shipton has worked as an executive in television movies and series for over 15 years at CBC, Alliance, Alliance Atlantis and recently the CTV-affiliated Landscape Entertainment.

Broadcasters and producers have quickly realized over the last six to 12 months that new strategies must be employed for production financing and broadcasting of Canadian TV dramatic product, suggesting a need to rethink the producer/broadcaster relationship in this country.

The heyday of production came three to four years ago when producers were supplying to Canadian broadcasters eight to 10 ‘Canadian Plus 10/10’ one-hour dramatic series; at least that many industrial yet truly entertaining Cancon series; and a multitude of Canadian MOWs.

Telefilm Canada and the Licence Fee Program enabled broadcasters and producers to work together for the benefit of both parties to finance these productions. These funds allowed broadcasters to pay a percentage of the cost of the program (as low as 25% to 30% versus the U.S. network average of 70% to 80%), and producers to retain the exploitation rights and responsibility for completion of financing.

The arrangement was just fine for the producer, as there was then a host of other funds and tax benefits available, as well as deals to be made with distributors who were anxious to build their libraries for the international marketplace.

Broadcasters also had time slots to fill, not just with these agency-funded shows, but with the many Cancon series financed by the U.S. syndication or cable marketplace. They were happy when producers came knocking on the door with either financing model as long as the show fit creatively with their mandate. The producer/broadcaster relationship was vibrant, healthy, sometimes combative, and as a result, good shows were making it to air.

It wasn’t always a piece of cake, but everybody understood their role. After the first season of Due South, which Alliance produced for CTV and CBS in 1994, the American broadcaster decided not to renew. But having enjoyed great success with the series in Canada, the Canadian broadcaster and producer were unanimous that the show must go on. Without the major U.S. contribution, CTV and Alliance both stepped up with financial commitments (a record level of licence from CTV for the times) and international strategies (a major BBC presale) that saved that series. (Arthur Weinthal rocks!)

For the fourth, fifth and sixth seasons of North of 60, the financing puzzle got tougher each year. It was not a series that was selling well in the rest of the world. This meant less distribution guarantees and no magic presales to save the day. But with an average of one million viewers per week, the CBC had to have the show. Every year, we would crunch those numbers. Could CBC give a little more? Could Alliance International at least sustain its guarantee? Could producers trim the budget a little? The effort, which resulted in ongoing success for the series, exemplified true teamwork between broadcaster and producer.

The global marketplace has changed quickly and drastically since then.

Broadcasters, and their parent companies, have to spread their dollars farther across converged, integrated operations. They are being forced to look at new ways of maximizing the dollars spent on Cancon in primetime, and producers need and want to be a part of their strategizing. It could obviously mean less drama.

The primary challenge is to recognize that distributors can no longer offer up-front cash international guarantees. Industry consolidation is worldwide and the appetite for foreign dramatic product, unless backed by a high-profile U.S. network or part of a U.S. studio bulk sale, is virtually nonexistent.

To ensure we will still have Canadian drama on our networks, it is not just a question of re-examing CTF rules and allotment of agency monies. We need to bring international broadcast partners into the offices of our Canadian networks right at the development stage. To do this, producers need broadcasters to be proactive. Broadcasters need to be talking directly to their counterparts, especially in the English-language territories (U.S., U.K., Australia) to ensure synergies in their programming needs.

As broadcasters work on new strategies with producers, they will want expanded ownership and exploitation rights to our programs, paving the way to greater risk-taking on their part. They will need more avenues to see a return on their investment. In this shifting relationship, producers will also want to ensure their ability to ‘see a return.’ And it’s not likely broadcasters will dismiss that, as they need this partnership. They need producers to do what they do, and do it well.

Let’s not forget our mutual goal – attracting audiences. To do this, to create the ‘appointment viewing’ hits, broadcasters and producers must continue to work in partnership.