Industry Key Issues
THE CMF THREATENES CANADIAN DOCUMENTARIES
Documentaries have traditionally represented 20% of total CTF funding and have in turn accounted for 40% of total programming hours produced with CTF support. In last year alone, $51M in CTF funding resulted in $170M of documentary production, totaling 775 hours of independently produced documentaries
So far the government has not committed to maintaining the current level of funding for Canadian documentaries, announcing that the new fund “will put particular emphasis on drama, comedy, and children's programming”. With no strong commitment to Canadian documentaries the CMF may represent a drastic decline in documentary funding.
THE CMF THREATENS INDEPENDENT VOICES
For the first time broadcasters will be able to access the new CMF to finance their in-house productions. Independent documentary filmmakers will now have to compete for already limited (and potentially shrinking) funds with broadcasters’ formidable in-house documentary units.
Independent documentary filmmakers represent the vast majority of box-office and critical success of Canadian documentaries, but now this successful production sector will see their funding decline.
THE CMF GIVES CONTROL OF PUBLIC MONEY TO THE CABLE COMPANIES
In the 1990's, cable companies were granted significant de-regulation (including an increase in basic cable rates) in exchange for contributing to the CTF, and have profited greatly from this arrangement. By allowing cable companies to nominate 5 of 7 Board Directors, the government is giving them a definite say in how the fund is run. Since cable companies own and control a large number of Canadian broadcasters and stand to profit from the announced fund, conflict of interest at CMF Board of Directors is unavoidable.
