The concept of Canadian content as applied to television counts local news as part of that Canadian content. Now Bell Media, the largest of the private broadcasters, wants the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to make severe cuts in local news requirements for its CTV, CTV2, and Noovo stations.
The first application asks for the following:
- Requested the elimination of a requirement for English-language television stations in metropolitan markets to broadcast at least 14 hours of local programming per week. In Quebec, Bell also asked the regulator to do away with its obligations to broadcast at least 5 hours of local programming per week at its Montréal and Quebec City stations (2.5 hours in smaller markets).
- Allow for its stations in major markets to no longer have to broadcast at least 6 hours of weekly locally reflective news. For its non-metropolitan stations, Bell wants to be able to broadcast fewer than 3 hours of locally reflective news each week. In Quebec, the requirement for 5 hours of locally reflective news each week on its Noovo Montréal station.
- Waive the requirement for the company to devote 11% of the previous year's gross revenues to the acquisition of or investment in locally reflective news.
In a second application before the CRTC, Bell Media made these requests:
- Reduce its obligation for Canadian content spending on English-language television stations from 30% of the previous year's revenues to 20%.
- Reduce the amount its English-language television stations must spend per year on programs of national interest from 7.5% of the previous year's revenues to 5%.
Steve Faguy reported that the 30% to 20% change could save the company up to $60 million a year. Faguy also noted other applications to the CRTC include one from TVA to eliminate weekend newscasts in Quebec City and Rogers allowing the company to spend less on drama and more on Canada's Got Talent.
The applications by the media companies doesn't mean the CRTC will grant their acceptance. The CRTC would set lower standards if they granted relief, not just to Bell Media.
Bell Media asks #CRTC to eliminate all local news requirements for CTV, CTV2 and Noovo stations https://t.co/Q43NaWmNNp
— Steve Faguy (@fagstein) June 23, 2023
Let's look at CFTO, the CTV station in Toronto. The station runs a 1-hour local newscast at Noon weekdays, a 1-hour newscast at 6 pm, and a 35-minute newscast at 11:30 pm. The station simulcasts the news from CP24 from 5-6 pm. CFTO shows a lot more than 6 hours a week of "locally reflective news."
CIVT Vancouver runs a similar schedule where CIVT produces that hour of news from 5-6 pm.
Citytv is mostly programming produced at the Toronto station with few local programs for individual markets. Citytv in Ottawa, the nation's capital, runs the same regular programming as the Toronto station.
Global has fewer Canadian TV offerings than Bell Media and more than Rogers' Citytv.
Bell Media said they would run local news programming, less than required to do now and more than zero.
The American programming that allows Bell Media, Global, and Citytv to make so much money is supposed to fund what little Canadian programming, news and otherwise, the networks broadcast to Canadians.
"Paramount has taken a number of properties including new Star Trek series and popular older services like South Park from Crave and CTV Sci-Fi and moved them on to its own streamer, Paramount+," said Faguy in his reporting. Presumably, this cuts into Bell Media profits, which are still really high.
The latest round of Bell Media layoffs, including the loss of several radio stations, is not inspiring that the company would make smart decisions about reduced local news coverage. Their late local newscasts get the lead-in of the most watched nightly national telecast at 11 pm Eastern/Pacific.
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Bill C-18 is designed to give relief to Canadian news outlets, especially large outlets such as Bell Media, with help from tech giants such as Google and Meta (Facebook). The hope is that the financial relief would be applied to providing useful and relevant Canadian content. This move by Bell Media implies they have no interest in spending that financial relief on improving local news.
Bell Media, Corus, and Rogers run over-the-air networks in Canada as well as cable channels. There are obligations, reasonable obligations with the responsibility of over-the-air networks. Local news is one of those services. Bell Media provided figures on how much they are losing on local news. The overall picture is a very robust company, making plenty of money, especially on insanely expensive smartphone services.
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Bell Media, Corus, and Rogers should be carrying more Canadian dramas and comedies, fewer ripoff shows (Canada's Got Talent) to sort of balance the tons of American programming on CTV, Global, Citytv, and their cable outlets. The CRTC should have sharper teeth in making sure that happens.
Rogers has 2 Canadian TV dramas on Citytv and they want to spend less on dramas??
Canadian TV creators complain that there aren't a whole lot of options. These 3 companies need to open up space for more Canadian scripted content. If they won't do it on their own accord, the CRTC should step in with strong requirements.
Editor's note: As if Canadian newspapers aren't already monopolized, there is talk of a possible merger between Postmedia and the Toronto Star's parent company. The claim is that the Toronto Star would maintain "editorial independence." This is a potentially backwards move for Canadian journalism.
photo credit: Bell Media
Twitter capture: @fagstein
