OTTAWA – Over-the-air broadcasters serving markets of less than 1 million people can now apply for a share of approximately $100 million from the new Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF) which came in to effect Tuesday.
Both private broadcasters and CBC/Radio-Canada television stations can access the LPIF, which is funded by cable and satellite companies who must contribute 1.5% of their gross broadcasting-related revenues from the 2008-2009 broadcast year.
The Fund, administrated by McCay, Duff and Company Management Ltd., will be disbursed over the 2009-2010 broadcast year. One-third of the total funding will be divided equally amongst stations in specific Francophone and Anglophone markets, while the remaining two-thirds will be allocated based on eligible stations’ historic spending on local programming, said a press release from the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB).
CAB was mandated by the CRTC to assist with the development of the fund and to build its governance structure. The Fund will be governed by a five-person board consisting of three private broadcasters representing English, French and independent stations from smaller markets, one CBC/Radio-Canada representative, and one cable/satellite representative.
The LPIF Board members are:
– Rick Arnish, president of The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group;
– Pierre Brosseau, executive chairman of RNC Media Inc.;
– Kevin Goldstein, VP of regulatory affairs for CTVglobmedia Inc.;
– Bev Kirshenblatt, senior director of regulatory affairs for CBC/Radio-Canada; and
– Cable/Satellite nominee (to be announced).
“The CAB has consistently advocated for local television service as the cornerstone of Canada’s broadcasting system,” said board member Rick Arnish, in the press release. “This new fund will mean more local, high-quality programming, while building a stronger financial foundation for smaller market stations that have been hard hit by the economic recession.”
