Softly Killing The Documentary

A MESSAGE FROM THE CORPORATION'S MARK ACHBAR

Why should Canadians be concerned about a recent announcement by the Minister of Canadian Heritage about the amalgamation of Canadian Television Fund (CTF) and the Canadian New Media Fund (CNMF) into a single Canada Media Fund (CMF)? Sounds like our government is being its usual efficient self, no doubt cutting costs and reducing overhead. Well, the fact that Minister James Moore made the announcement flanked by the heads of Canada’s largest cable and broadcast corporations should be your first clue.

As a Canadian citizen and taxpayer you would be justified in being outraged that one small group in the Canadian media sector, the cable companies, will soon be given majority control over this fund of public money. What will the impact be on future filmmakers who aspire to make critical documentaries? Just guess. Cable companies have misleadingly claimed that the money contributed to the fund is theirs. In fact, in the 1990s, cable companies were allowed to increase both the number of foreign channels and their subscription rates, resulting in substantial profit increases. In return for this regulatory concession from the government, the cable companies were required to remit a portion of their fee increase to support the production of Canadian programming (hence the CTF, which helped fund The Corporation and many other fine documentaries). Considering that Canadian consumers (through higher cable rates) and Canadian taxpayers (through the Heritage Department) have funded the CTF why is Canada’s most important cultural fund being handed over to Canada’s cable companies?

Sometimes I think our government must be afraid of the light documentaries shine on our society. In the proposed scenario, documentaries have been singled out for special treatment. According to the announcement, in order to access the fund, documentaries will have to jump an odd hurdle. They will have to prove that financing is not otherwise available in the market — a new qualification that would not apply to drama or comedy genres. This bizarre impediment creates an unfair barrier to accessing the fund. The Minister should have to explain why is Canada’s most recognized and critically acclaimed genre being relegated to a second-class position?

The announcement also stated that Canadian broadcasters will be allowed to access the fund for their own in-house productions. Independent producers, who create the majority of Canadian TV content and employ the majority of the Canadian talent and technical staff will therefore have to compete for limited funds with Canada’s largest media companies — who, incidentally, have consistently spent more on foreign programming than homegrown productions. The CTF was originally intended to strengthen the production industry, not to add to the bottom lines of broadcasters and cable companies. You may wish to ask Minister Moore, Minister Flaherty (Minister of Finance) and Prime Minister Harper: in these precarious financial times, why are small business owners across Canada being placed at a disadvantage – to the benefit of Canada’s largest media companies?

The reason you get this e’Zine is because you value what independent documentaries contribute to society. I know it’s a chore, but I urge you to take a few minutes to put these questions to your elected representative, and to the responsible Ministers.

Sincerely,
Mark Achbar
p.s. I've created a form letter based on this article. Please use and modify as you see fit.

• Read Minister Moore’s announcement
• Write the Minister (no postage necessary):
  Honorable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage
  House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
• Email him at: MooreJ@parl.gc.ca
• Or contact these guys:
  Honorable Jim Flaherty
  House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
  email: FlaheJ@parl.gc.ca
  Right Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
  House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
  email: HarpeS@parl.gc.ca
• You can also find your MP using your postal code