Don’t give Corus tangible benefits exemption: CanCon groups

A proposal by Corus Entertainment Inc. to shut down 44 television rebroadcasting transmitters in small rural markets hasn’t found support among intervenors, though content-production industry groups were opposed to the requested exemption to the CRTC’s tangible benefits policy, not the shutdown. “The WGC takes no position on Corus electing to remove the 44 rebroadcasting transmitters,” the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) said in its intervention. It said it does oppose “Corus’ proposed reallocation of the $2.4 million in tangible benefits remaining to be spent in the analog-to-digital transmitter conversion benefits stream because it is inconsistent with the Tangible Benefits Policy and disregards prior Commission direction to Corus.” In its application, Corus proposed to distribute the $2.36 million in remaining money allocated for transmitter upgrades to the Canadian Media Fund (CMF), industry organizations and a number of postsecondary journalism and broadcast programs. The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) said in its comments that while Corus’ proposal means the CMPA would actually get additional funding, the CRTC should stick to its 2014 tangible benefits policy, which specifies at least 80 per cent of tangible benefits relating to TV go to third-party production funds. Corus had proposed to direct only 38 per cent to production funds, and the rest to other initiatives. The Directors’ Guild of Canada (DGC) said in its filing that Corus’ “proposition to direct 62% of the tangible benefits to Canadian media organizations and broadcast technology-related education across Canada will not have a direct and efficient impact on Canadian programming.” It added that if the request is granted, it would set a precedent that would affect other tangible benefit allocations in the future. The CMPA wasn’t the only one to argue against the proposal despite the additional money it would receive if the proposal was approved. “The request by Corus to remove 44 retransmitters from its associated licences will not serve to enhance access to Canada’s broadcast system in rural markets,” Steven James May, a faculty member of Humber’s School of Media Studies and Information Technology, said in his intervention. “Corus is welcome to contribute $20,000 to Humber College, as proposed, but not in exchange for eroding access to Canada’s broadcast system.”

Don’t give Corus tangible benefits exemption: CanCon groups

Brief | December 11, 2018

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Don’t give Corus tangible benefits exemption: CanCon groups

Brief | December 11, 2018

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