Media Beat: Former ET Canada Producers to Launch New Online Platform
Also new this week: the CRTC approves regulatory requests from TVA and Corus Ent., and the CBC now has a panel of experts to advise it on future directions.
CRTC Notices
TVA
The regulator has approved a TVA application for regulatory relief for local news production for its Quebec City television station CFCM-DT. The appeal stated that the Quebec station had higher requirements than other private broadcasters and increased foreign undertakings had impacted its revenues.
In its notice of approved changes, the Commission specified that:
The Commission decided to consider TVA’s application because of its limited scope. The application aims to alleviate certain requirements specific to the Québec station, not to modify the existing regulatory framework. After examining the application, the Commission considers that the arguments put forward by TVA are well-founded.
Consequently, the Commission has approved the application by Quebecor, on behalf of TVA, to amend the Québec station’s conditions of service relating to local programming. As such:
- TVA will continue to broadcast 5 hours and 30 minutes per week of news produced in Québec but will be able to determine the most appropriate time for broadcasting its newscasts. It will no longer be required to broadcast two newscasts produced in Québec on weekends;
- the number of hours of local programming required for the Québec station will be reduced from 18 hours to 16 hours per week; and
- the Québec station will no longer have to broadcast a certain number of hours of other programs that reflect this region.
Corus Entertainment
After filing an urgent application for a reduction in its Canadian programming expenditure in October 2023, the regulator has approved Corus's request to lower its obligated Canadian content spending on programs of national interest for its English-language stations to five percent of revenue from 8.5 percent. It also granted a request to extend a repayment deadline for under-expenditures of Canadian programming requirements.
However, the Commission declined to address Corus’ requests to reduce its Canadian programming expenditure (CPE) and to its contributions to FACTOR and Musicaction as it “intends to consider these remaining requests in the course of a future proceeding during Phase 2 of the process to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework.”
The commission noted in a separate letter that applications from other large broadcast groups — including Corus, Bell, Quebecor and Rogers — seeking potential amendments to conditions of service for their various television services are being deferred at this time and will be considered as part of an upcoming consultation on broader policy matters. That includes other aspects of regulatory relief sought by Corus.
ET Canada's Laura Ward and Katie Colley To Launch E Dose Daily
The former segment producer and digital producer, who earned their rep at Corus Entertainment working at Entertainment Tonight Canada and e-Talk, have announced the launch of E Dose Daily, an online platform offering “unmatched coverage of the latest in entertainment news, pop culture trends, and exclusive interviews” using “cutting-edge technology to deliver content swiftly and seamlessly across multiple digital channels.”
With its studio facility in the GTA, these two accomplished journos hope to lure guests on-site and shoot interviews on location at “everything from red carpets to music festivals.”
“Laura and I have taken one of our biggest career challenges and turned it into something Canada has never seen before — a daily entertainment program created, directed, hosted and produced by a female-driven team,” Colley explains. “We're excited to deliver entertainment news with a fresh perspective and are eager to become the go-to destination for breaking entertainment news.”
Content will be delivered on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X and Facebook.
A New CBC Think Tank
The Canadian Press reports that seven multimedia experts have been selected to advise Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge as she renews the role of Canada’s public broadcaster.
The group will provide policy advice mainly on CBC/Radio-Canada’s governance and funding, Canadian Heritage said.
The department notes that consultations on the CBC’s mandate have already been done with the general public.
The committee is composed of seven experts and specialists who will contribute their knowledge and experience from a variety of fields.
According to the media advisory issued by Heritage Canada, the experts are:
- Marie-Philippe Bouchard, CEO, TV5 Québec Canada
- Jesse Wente, Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, founding Executive Director of the Indigenous Screen Office
- Jennifer McGuire, Managing Director, Pink Triangle Press
- David Skok, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, The Logic (independent media startup)
- Mike Ananny, Associate Professor of Communication and Journalism, U. of Southern California Annenberg
- Loc Dao, Executive Director of DigiBC
- Catalina Briceno, Professor, Université du Québec à Montréal.
