– More specialty apps

More specialty channel applications are in the works.

According to industry sources, applications are being prepared to be filed with the crtc before hearings take place on amendments to the Eligible Satellite Services lists early next year. The call for additions to the lists, which dictate which u.s. specialty services are eligible for distribution in Canada, was issued along with the Sept. 4 specialty licensing decision. The deadline for amendment requests is Nov. 4.

Although no official call for new specialty apps has been issued, the intent is to flag the commission, before it adds more u.s. services to the lists, that Canadian companies are prepared to fill any voids in the system the cable companies may perceive.

According to crtc policy, services considered competitive or partially competitive with Canadian specialty or pay services cannot be added to the list. Included in this batch are all 23 newly licensed services.

– Producers defend tax credit

The apftq has urged the Quebec government to reduce its overall spending while maintaining strategic investments in key job-creation sectors.

In a recent presentation to a Quebec parliamentary commission on fiscality and public finances, the producers pointed out the Quebec audiovisual sector has grown by 268% in the past 10 years, generating $370 million in production volume in 1995. The apftq says $130 million of the total was exported and more than $67 million was generated in the form of direct and indirect Quebec government taxes.

The producers say inefficient tax shelters should be abolished and point out that 50% of the tax-based production volume in 1995, $176 million, was spent on salaries, fees and direct remunerations.

The apftq says the increase in production in Quebec from $200 million in 1991/92 to $350 million last year, is largely due to increased private investment from foreign companies. The producers say this indicates the province’s refundable tax-credit program, an investment of $51 million in ’95/96, is effectively leveraging new investment.

– What kids are watching

Ryerson Polytechnic University’s rta and ece schools once again conducted a major survey on what kids watch and pooled the information into a study released late last month.

Highlights of the seventh annual Toronto research exercise conclude among other scary things, that Bart Simpson is a role model for many Canadian boys.

Barney is still king for the 2 to 5 set, Full House squeaked past The Simpsons in the 6 to 9 age bracket, 10- to 12-year-olds chose The Simpsons overall but named Friends as the newest entry in the popularity poll. Friends topped the chart for the 13 to 15 crowd.

When asked what show they learned a lot from, many six-year-old boys chose Power Rangers, but thankfully Bill Nye and Beakman’s World were ahead in the 6 to 12 age categories.

The majority of the younger age groups had no idea why tv stations have commercials, and among the reasons cited were: ‘Actors need a break’ and ‘to give me a headache.’

As to what the best tv station for kids is, ytv was well ahead of the pack in the six-12 groups, with Fox and Global gaining in the 10-12 range. Fox was chosen as number one by the teen set, followed by ytv and Global.

– Gillis joins Catalyst

Kevin Gillis, whose extensive credit list includes creating The Raccoons animated series, producing Warner Bros.’ The Nutcracker Prince and cofounding Skyvision Entertainment, has joined Catalyst Entertainment as executive vp and executive producer, where he will focus on developing, packaging and producing original programming.

As well, Gillis’ Run With Us Productions has signed a development deal with Catalyst, which gives the Toronto-based film and tv supplier distribution rights to all 65 episodes of The Raccoons and an option to coproduce future episodes of the series or create a new series featuring the characters. Run With Us and Catalyst are also codeveloping Tales From The Longhouse, a half-hour family series to be produced by Larry Mirkin and Tom Jackson for the cbc and European partners.

– Picard named SDA prez

Andre Picard has been named president and gm of Productions sda replacing Francois Champagne who becomes group vp special projects.

Picard’s experience with Imax Corp. in Toronto and Films Rozon in Paris and a recently signed multimillion-dollar miniseries and mow drama pact with Ellipse Films of France points to more international coproduction activity for sda, one of Quebec’s oldest production companies.

Champagne produced many of Quebec tv’s most popular drama series and the current hit series Omerta: la loi du silence.

– Marketing push at Rozon

Just For Laughs cofounder Alain Cousineau has returned to the company as head of Rozon’s new marketing division.

The division will focus on product marketing, event sponsorship, promotions and tourism.

Rozon’s business activities include the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, the Just for Laughs Museum, Films Rozon, producer of the comedy show and tour and a minority partner in the new The Comedy Network (with Baton, Shaw and Astral), and Distribution Rozon, the company’s tv production and distribution arm.

– Broadcast dist agenda

The crtc begins hearing proposals for the regulation of broadcast distrbution undertakings with opening morning presentations Oct. 7 from Stentor and the apftq.

At issue is the future of the Canadian broadcasting system and the role of competition between distributors including cable, over-the-air cable, dth and the telephone companies.

On the agenda are the key issues of rate regulation and a deregulation test threshold for basic services, as well as contribution levels for both production and community programming funds.

Competitive issues on the table include program access for new distributors, access to inside the home wiring and the resale of available cable space.

cab proposals on advanced substitution rules including non-simultaneous substitution and the elimination of a benefits test for programmers are not on the agenda.

Forty-one presentations are scheduled including Astral and imat on Oct. 7; Baton, ccsa, Cable Atlantic and MaxLink on Oct. 8; ccta, Expressvu, Canadian Newspaper Assoc., Power and cbc on Oct. 9; Cogeco, CanWest, Telus and Allarcom on Oct. 10; cab, Shaw, HomeStar and Friends on Oct. 11; and chum, Rogers, cftpa, NetStar and Videotron on Oct. 15.

– Dab copro deal

Instituto Cubano de Radio y Television, the operator of Cuba’s two state tv networks, CubaVision and Tele Rebelde, and Dab Communications of Montreal have signed a joint-venture agreement to produce Spanish-language youth programming for the Latin American market.

The agreement calls for the production of 117 hours of programming over the next two years, including docudramas, reformatted documentaries, youth dramas and edutainment programs.

Dab and icrt will invest $7 million sourced from private placements in an expanded production and post facility located in Havana.

Gerald Dab, an experienced program sponsorship broker and public affairs producer, is president of Dab.

– Hansen’s new CHUM

At the crtc hearings in Vancouver, chum announced a feature film development partnership with Rick Hansen to script and produce a movie based on his life story. Vancouver-based Cactus Pictures in association with CHUMCity Productions will bring the story to screen.

The production is timed with the 10th anniversary in 1997 of the completion of Hansen’s Man in Motion World Tour, which raised $24 million for spinal chord research.

No word yet on who will write or direct, but the film will be developed and produced in Vancouver. Jay Switzer, vp programming at CHUM Television, says the budget is still under discussion and they hope to have a finished script and begin production by the end of 1997.