Media Centre > News Releases > Archive > 1996 > October 27, 1996

EDMONTON, October 27, 1996 -- Canada needs an industrial strategy for television production to ensure viewers can choose from a greatly increased flow of high quality Canadian programs, the President of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) said today.

"We have some superb Canadian programming, but we don't have nearly enough," said Michael McCabe, in his leadership report to the CAB convention, in Edmonton. "We, as a country, have not yet found a way to get a reasonably reliable flow of top quality Canadian programming at much higher levels than we currently have. This we must do. But we cannot do it unless Canada develops an industrial strategy for television production."

He reported substantial progress in broadcasters' Canadian Programming Initiative to increase the quantity and quality of Canadian shows, noting that government policy and CRTC direction "broadly reflect the four cornerstone CPI plan and concepts we set out two years ago."

Remaining goals in CAB's drive to make Canadian programming an attractive business opportunity include locking in a 5% commitment from distributors, gaining full participation in the Canada TV and Cable Production Fund and ensuring fair competition.

Broadcasters are urging parliament to pass a Copyright Bill that doesn't obstruct their day-to-day business operations, helps protect their signals and puts them on a more equal footing with their American competitors.

"What we now need," stressed McCabe, "is a new industry forecast and plan that factors in such important recent elements as broadcaster-owned specialty services, CBC's decreasing competitiveness with private stations, rapid DTH penetration, and telcos entering the broadcasting business."

Radio, too, needs a new impetus to achieve profits sufficient to attract investors and finance the move to digital radio. New directions to be pursued, suggested McCabe, include identifying the business opportunities arising from DR, maximizing service to listeners, minimizing regulation, and, if neighbouring rights is enacted, rebalancing radio's relationship with the music industry. Broadcasters also must explore opportunities for radio on the internet and determine the impact of cable audio services.

Earlier, CAB Chair Bruce Cowie reported that new research is underway to help reposition radio as a dynamic marketing medium. Coordinated by the Radio Marketing Bureau and BBM, the research will equip senior radio executives to launch a coordinated campaign targeting major national advertisers. Also in the works are new industry PR campaigns and plans to motivate creative advertising people to take advantage of radio's potential.

CAB recently published the first-ever 'Industry Financial Benchmarks' manual, won CRTC agreement for its money-saving Canadian Talent Development Program, achieved more flexible simulcasting rules, and convinced the Commission that a flexible approach to Local Management Agreements is vital to radio's recovery.

Added Cowie: "We have successfully moved the responsibility for alcohol advertising pre-clearance into the competent hands of the Canadian Advertising Foundation. With our partners in the industry, we are also moving toward a parent-friendly program classification system that we expect will apply to all Canadian and U.S. originated programming."

For more information contact:

Susan Tolusso
Director, Communications
(613) 233-4035 ext. 331
(stolusso@cab-acr.ca)