I am very pleased with CRTC chair, Mr. von Finckenstein’s speech to the 2007 Banf Television Festival. It bodes well that we have such a clear thinking, fair minded person guiding the CRTC at this time.
Read his speech here. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/NEWS/SPEECHES/2007/s070611.htm
However. Small Businesses and Cultural Communities across Canada have been and are suffering as a result of ill conceived CRTC regulations in the past. There once were 180 public access community channels across Canada, but buy outs and amalgamations are radically reducing meaningful public access.
My complaint is specifically with the CRTC regulations for public access community television. (but you could apply some of this to major television broadcasters) I point to three very simple to fix but profound problems.
1) the words, “program” and “programming” are too general and allow Cable Companies to shirk their “Local Content” /cultural obligations. Be specific. Require a certain percentage of local DRAMA programming, NEWS programming, ARTS/Variety programming, DOCUMENTARY/LIFESTYLE/Information programming.
2)Allow Local Small businesses the right to advertise on THEIR public access community channel with full motion, locally produced commercials. This will give them the incentive to sponsor locally produced DRAMA programming and other forms of programming.
3)Do not allow Cable Companies to compete unfairly with local independent content producers. A local business must have the right to pick who makes their locally cablecast commercials. A local producer must have the right to solicit sponsorships for locally made Drama series or other forms of programming from local businesses without interference from the Cable provider.
Finally, I would not allow Cable Companies the exclusive right to decide what programming is scheduled on the public access community channel without balanced input from a local volunteer programming schedule review committee that could meet twice a year.
I am certain that these changes will stimulate local small businesses and community cultures in a significant way. They will certainly lead to a grass roots renewal of distinctly Canadian culture from coast to coast to coast. I am also certain that Big Cable Businesses and multinational advertisers will object to these changes. We must not give in to greedy monopolists posing as “television industry experts”.
To recap succinctly: It is not fair that a local small business can’t advertise with full motion commercials in their local community when multinational businesses can through specialty channels in locally paid for cable subscriptions. This is WRONG! It is not fair to allow Cable Companies exclusive control over local content production, scheduling and sponsorships. This strangles democracy and local culture.
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