OTTAWA – CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein used an interview-style keynote as a soap box of sorts to press broadcasters and producers on a number of issues. In responding to questions from retired broadcast executive Trina McQueen, he urged to broadcasters and producers to come to an agreement on terms of trade prior to the group-based licensing hearing in April.
Otherwise, he said, he’s prepared to impose one.
“If you don’t get it done at the hearing, I want to see your latest best offer and we will impose something on that basis. It’s all in an attempt to get it done. But let’s get this off the table. It is so vital to ensure the diversity that we want,” he said during his question and answer session with Trina McQueen.
Terms of trade was only one of the topics von Finckenstein addressed during the 40-minute interview. He used his keynote to press broadcasters on other issues including group-based licensing, digital transition and vertical integration. Cartt.ca reported previously reported on his decision to withdraw the public notice regarding false and misleading news.
With respect to group-based licensing, von Finckenstein said treating the specialty and over-the-air services separately, particularly since the major players own most of these assets, “makes no sense.” There are, however, going to be some interesting battles in the hearing particularly as it relates to the amount of money spent on Canadian programming and a new concept for programs of national interest, he noted.
Von Finckenstein acknowledged that the proposed 30% is “aspirational” and that each case will be dealt with individually. As for programs of national interest – documentaries, drama and awards shows – this will be a new experience for Canada, he noted.
“It’s untried and we will see how it works. It certainly will give a boost to documentaries and drama,” he said.
The CRTC chair also suggested that maintaining certain percentages of money for independent production is important. Some parties to the group-based licensing consultation have raised the issue of using money for in-house productions. Von Finckenstein said there are pros and cons for both, but insisted the Commission will approach this issue with “an open mind.”
With the transition to digital just six months away, von Finckenstein used his Prime Time appearance to press broadcasters on an awareness campaign. “Have you heard from your broadcaster? Have you heard anything about this yet? Other than just the occasional advertisement in the paper?” he asked in response to a question from McQueen.
“Get in front of the curve so people don’t get upset and we have a wave of emails because people don’t know out of ignorance,” he said, clearly to broadcasters in the crowd.
Von Finckenstein told the CMPA’s gathering that the Commission will soon be issuing regulations regarding the messages broadcasters will be required to air. They will include specific contents of the message as well as frequency of the public service announcements.
On vertical integration, the CRTC chair raised an interesting issue that recently came to the fore in the UK. There, the regulator ruled that the European Cup of soccer had to be aired on over-the-air TV. This, von Finckenstein said, is similar to an aspect contained in the Federal Communications Commission ruling approving the Comcast-NBCU merger. The FCC called it non-replicable programming, which the chair interpreted as sports.
“What is this category? Assuming there is a category of non-replicable [programming], if we accept this idea, what is the test for it? Does it make sense?”
