CRTC's Epiphany: Canada will win on the world stage by becoming America

The DGC is profoundly dismayed by the CRTC's decision to reduce the participation of Canadian talent in productions supported by the Certified Independent Production Funds.  

Last year with the Let’s Talk TV decisions and now with revisions to the policy that governs Certified Independent Production Funds like Shaw Rocket Fund, Harold Greenberg Fund, Rogers Fund, Canadian talent continues to be a vanishing species. The Commission’s approach for creating a robust, successful domestic production sector is to divert Canadian citizens' money to pay American writers, directors and actors to make generic programming which tells the world nothing about who we are as a nation or as a people. Once again Canada misses a chance to shine at home and on the world stage by proposing to eliminate all that is unique in what we make. 

There is no evidence that reducing Canadian creative involvement will make these shows more successful.  In the current Canadian landscape of risk-averse decision makers the DGC has time after time sought the resources necessary for Canada’s storytellers to create innovative, original compelling content. Instead, the Commission once again proposes the elimination of Canadian writers, directors and performers - the very elements which make niche television from countries outside the USA so compelling to audiences everywhere. 

The CRTC’s decisions reflect an outdated approach that is a legacy from the former Harper government.  Success in the Golden Age of Television rests on distinctiveness and originality. In a word: voice. 

It is time to change the channel; the path to a greater diversity of high quality made-in-Canada content begins with promoting, not diminishing, opportunities for Canadian talent. 

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