C I" E Mati • TRADE NEWS • I'---N Ov a S Co Tia T As K F Orc E --II French Language Pay Consolidation
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C I" E MAti • TRADE NEWS • I'---N_ov_a S_co_tia_t_as_k f_orc_e --II French language pay consolidation HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia the Film Resources Office OTTAWA - The Canadian Radio from its license the require with ... a distinctive Canadian Task Force on the Film Indus· should act as a referral and television and Telecommuni ments to provide a national pay-television service." try has completed public hear· promotion agency for film cations Commission (CRTC) French-language service, on In addition to five pages of ings on the state of filmmaking makers instead of simply pro has approved the consolidation the condition that First Choice specific conditions of license in the province and will be moting the local geography to of the two competing French "shall invest in and support appended to the decision, the making policy recommenda· outside filmmakers. language pay-television licen through all reasonable means Commission, in authorizing tions to the provincial cabinet In addjtion to filmmakers sees into a new national, gen the operations and undertaking the consolidation, was con in a report expected within and producers, the Task Force eral interest network under of ... Premier Choix:TVEC." cerned with : two months. heard from Nova Scotia govern the name Premier Choix: TVEC. The Commission noted that • Ensuring the long-term Viewed by Halifax film ment departments involved in In a 17-page decision issued its decision to approve the con financial viability of Premier makers as "a critical step for either buying or sponsoring Jan. 24, the CRTC, following a solidation followed from its Choix: TVEC - a $3 million in ward", the Task Force was ap film, from the Majors via the public hearing in Montreal Jan. Jan. 5 review of the general vestment from the Quebec pointed by the Nova Scotia Canadian Motion Picture Dis 13 (see Cinema Canada No. 104), structure of Canadian pay-tele government's cultural indus cabinet late last summer as a tributors Association's Millard granted applicants First Choice/ vision. In that statement the tries bank, SOD ICC, plus an seven-person committee Roth, from local distributors Premier Choix and TVEC's Commission said it would be additional $3 million in bank chaired by Halifax business and exhibitors, the National request to consolidate their "responsive" to proposals that credit guaranteed by SODICC woman Elizabeth Hanson. The Film Board, the Atlantic Film existing undertakings and assets "may require adjustments in ($2 min) and First Choice ($1 task force came about through Festival Association, from into a single, national service. the structure or regulatory min). the initiative of the Atlantic Mount S1. Vincent University The Commission also approved framework for pay-television ... • The continuing availability Independent Film &. Video on its pioneering work in '.'ideo First Choice's request to delete provided they are consistent of a national French-language Association (AIFVA), a regional tflleconferencing, and, last but pay service - in the event of grouping of 25 independent not least, from members of the Premier Choix:TVEC's "cessa production companies. Repre filmgoing public. tion," the obligation to provide senting the Nova Scotia film If there was unanimity Specialty hearings - peculiar! a national French-language industry on the task force were among the groups addressing service reverts to First Choice feature filmmakers Michael the Task Force, it was that Nova HULL- It had been expected to broken and now littered the as a condition of license. Fur Donovan and William MacGil Scotia badly needed represen be a long hearing. Yet by the bridge spanning the Ottawa thermore, the Commission sti livray and commercials maker tation either from the CFDC or end ofthe third week, it looked river to Hull. More than half pulated that Premier Choix: Bill Skerret. For the govern along the lines of Alberta. as if the Canadian Radio-tele those aspirants had found TVEC must offer a single ment, task force members "Nova Scotia is very concern vision and Telecommunications themselves locked out of the national satellite-to-cable were Tom Merklinger of the ed with what the other provin Commission (CRTC) panel was public hearing by virtue of not service and not the "tape bi department of Development, cial governments are doing," not any further ahead, nor were finding bankers lining up to cycling system" with a one-to Allison Bishop, director of Cul commented one observer. "We its decisions to be made any lend them money. The mighty two week programming delay ture, and David Colville of the don't like to feel behind, and easier. Although only three Ted Rogers required a white proposed by the applicants for department of Transporta while nobody can say with cer contenders remained for the knight, the Molson's empire, to Western subscribers at the Jan. tion's communications policy tainty what the government's two music and sports licenses, convince the Toronto Domi 13 hearing. ' branch. Task Force researcher ultimate intentions are, it did there were five groups battling nion Bank to back up his bid for • Guarantees of the minority was Fran Shuebrook-Gallagher. provide the funds for the Task it out for the right to offer a music channel. Even then he status of SODICC's involvement As of November 1983, the Force. The proof will be in the multilingual services to Cana faced a strong bid by the Alan in voting equity participation Task Force met weekly for pudding : on how the cabinet dians, highlighted by feuds Waters/ Moses Znaimer consor and representation on the Pre background briefings, with responds to the Task ForcR within the Chinese and Italian tium of CHUM Radio and CITY mier Choix: TVEC Board of Directors. representatives ofthe Canadian report." communities. TV, who saw the future in turn industry from regional broad On their way to this half of ing a local Toronto TV outlet • Finally, the Commission casters (CBC, the Mlantic Tele the national capital region, a reiterated its "concerns ... with vision Network) to the Cana number of peoples' dreams lay (cont. on p. 36) the relatively high fees charged dian Film Development Cor for pay television services and poration. Among the film encourages both distributors development models of par and exhibitors to find ways of ticular interest to the Task Fox tables omnibus legislation for broadcasting/film reducing the cost of pay tele vision to subscribers." Force w~s Alberta's Motion In the area of programming, Pict~re Development Corp. OTTAWA - As announced in particular broadcasting license. pany, Bell Canada Enterprises the decision stipulated as spe Among the more ambitious the Throne Speech Dec. 7, Com After being tabled in the House, Inc. cific conditions of license that : recommendations that could munications minister Francis orders to the CRTC would take come from the Task Force Fox tabled an omnibus package effect in 30 days. The bill, as announced in the • not less than 30% program ming time be Canadian until report is the possibility of Nova of legislation in the House of In redefining the definition Broadcast Strategy, requires the eBC to become a "distinctive" Dec. 31, 1985, increasing to not Scotia initiating inter-provin Commons Feb. 8. of a broadcasting undertaking less than 50% as of Jan. 1, 1986 cial discussion towards setting Highlights of the proposed to include "any person who ... service in a balanced and com prehensive Canadian broad until expiry of license (Mar. 1, Canadian content quotas in legislation include: in Canada ... transmits or distri casting system, and separates 1987) ; theatres. • Increased political control butes, otherwise than solely as At the three days of public over the Canadian Radio-tele a telecommunications common the role of CBC chairman from • not less than 50% of that programming time shall be hearings, Feb. 6-8, the Task vision and Telecommunica carrier and whether or not for that of president, making the chairman CEO and the presi devoted to dramatic programs Force heard 27 presentations, tions Commission (CRTC) any consideration, any pro dent chief operating officer. including but not limited to principally from the Nova • CRTC jurisdiction over gramming received by radio Current CBC president Pierre dramatic feature films ; Scotia film industry's three satellite master antenna sys communication," the bill gives Juneau would automatically • not less than 45% of total main groups : dramatic feature tems (hotels, condominiums the CRTC regulatory power become chairman for the re revenues, and not less than 60% filmmakers, cultural film and high-rises) over bars, hotels, condomi mainder of his seven-year pre of total expenditures, be spent makers and contract or com • A redefinition of broad niums and high-rise apart sidency. on the investment in or acquisi mercials filmmakers. casting companies to include ments with satellite dishes. tion of Canadian programs The strongest representa While this does not represent broadcasting technological Finally, the bill amends' the during the terms of license ; • tion came from the commer developments an expansion of the CRTC's operations of the CFDC to in • of these monies, not less cial filmmakers who criticized regulatory powers, it is a legal • Amendments to the opera clude video productions within than 50% be spent on dramatic the Nova Scotia film industry's tions of Bell Canada, the Cana clarification in the event of a its domain, thus legalizing the programs; structural under-development, dian Broadcasting Corp., the court testing of CRTC powers. CFDC's de facto involvement • the establishment of a script inadequate funding and the Canadian Film Development The bill seeks to eliminate with video production since government's confusing sales and concept development fund Corp., and the CRTC. conflicts between the Bell the Broadcast Development tax policies. Filmmakers urged through a minimum of 5% of The omnibus bill gives the Canada Special Act and the Fund went into effect in sum that the Nova Scotia Film Re gross revenues; federal Cabinet power to issue Canada Business Corporations mer '83.