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Why ACTRA members are demonstrating in Ottawa
As ACTRA members, we're raising our voices to tell broadcasters, the CRTC and Canadians that we need more Canadian drama on TV. If we don't speak up, we stand to lose our airwaves to Hollywood. Our culture and our country are too important to stay silent. It's time for action by the CRTC and by the broadcasters.  

Drama has disappeared from TV

  • In 1999, broadcasters aired 12 one-hour fully Canadian dramas on TV, totaling 186 hours of programming. In 2006, broadcasters were only airing 8 fully Canadian one-hour drama series, totaling just 87 hours of programming, less than half the drama we had in 1999. Source: Writers Guild of Canada
  • CTV and Global have no new one-hour Canadian dramas on their fall schedules.
  • Broadcasters are filling their schedules with Hollywood shows instead of Canadian drama and satisfying their Canadian content requirements with cheap reality and entertainment magazine programs instead of airing real Canadian stories on TV.

Why drama is important

  • It's culture: Canadian drama is culturally important to our country.
  • It's popular: TV drama continues to be the most popular and most watched form of television content. Our airwaves belong to us, the public. Broadcasters exploit them as a privilege. Part of their obligation in exchange for this privilege is to contribute to our cultural identity by supporting, promoting, airing and celebrating fully Canadian stories - shows that are written, directed performed and produced by Canadians. Even with more entertainment choices than before, on the internet and on cell phones, TV is still the most popular and influential cultural medium.
  • It's important: A majority of Canadians believe it is important to have Canadian drama programs. Source: CRTC Report, Dramatic Choices, A report on Canadian English-language drama, by Trina McQueen, 2003.

The Broadcasting Act requires more of Canada's stories on TV

  • The Act states that the broadcasting system is owned and controlled by Canadians, and that it should serve to 'safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of Canada.'  
  • The Act states that each broadcaster shall 'make maximum use, and in no case less than predominant use of Canadian creative and other resources in the creating and presentation of programming.'
  • The Act requires that private networks 'contribute significantly to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming.'

Broadcasters are profitable and can afford to invest in Canadian drama:

  • Private broadcasters' ad revenue has steadily increased every year. In 2006, broadcasters earned more than $2 billion in ad revenue.
  • While program spending has increased every year, spending on Canadian drama has decreased annually. Broadcasters are spending on foreign drama, not Canadian drama, that is down to a new low of only $40 million in 2006. Source: CRTC Statistics

Broadcasters are buying Hollywood programs instead of supporting our own Canadian jobs and industry
In 2006, broadcasters spent 12 times more on Hollywood programs than on Canadian English drama programs:

  • Broadcasters spent $479 million buying Hollywood shows and only $40 million on English-Canadian drama in 2006. Source: CRTC Statistics
  • The Globe and Mail reports that simulcasting brings in $200 million in ad revenue to the broadcasters. Canadian broadcasters show U.S. shows at the same time as the U.S. networks and substitute Canadian ads on the U.S. signal.

CRTC 1999 Television Policy caused a crisis in TV drama

  • The CRTC relaxed the rules in 1999, eliminating the drama expenditure requirements, and allowing broadcasters to count cheap reality and entertainment magazine TV shows as 'priority programming.'
  • The CRTC expanded primetime to 7-11 p.m. every night, from 8-11 p.m. Mon.-Fri. So now we see cheaply produced, formulaic American shows like, Canadian Idol and ET Canada instead of Traders and Psi Factor. Broadcasters are free to meet their Cancon obligations with repeats and by copying U.S. reality shows.
  • Look for your Canadian shows on the schedule - they're now banished to Friday and Saturday nights and in the summer - when fewer Canadians are watching.

Broadcaster licence renewals key for fixing TV drama crisis
The CRTC is conducting licence renewal hearings for the private broadcasters in 2008. The drama campaign waged by ACTRA and other organizations comes to a crucial juncture at the these hearings, This is the opportunity for the CRTC to impose spending and airing rules to force broadcasters to support and air fully Canadian TV drama in primetime. Since 2002, the CRTC has recognized there is a problem with the lack of drama on TV. At the CRTC’s Diversity of Voices hearings in September, 2007, current CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein said, "Cultural and social objectives cannot be achieved through market forces alone. That is why we need regulation."

ACTRA's continued efforts on the TV drama issue  
ACTRA has been raising the alarm since we began our campaign in 2002.

  • Organized lobby days on Parliament Hill to educate MPs and ask the Minister of Heritage to direct the CRTC to change its disastrous 1999 Television Policy.
  • Appeared before the CRTC at public hearings.
  • formed the Canadian Coalition of Audio-Visual Unions with the Writers Guild of Canada, the Directors Guild of Canada, the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union and NABET 700 to fight for more drama.
  • Involved our stars and our members in our campaign.
  • Staged news conferences during federal election campaigns to raise the issue.
  • Organized rallies in 2007 outside CTV and Global's fancy events to launch their fall TV seasons to advertisers.

ACTRA's demands

  • More original, fully Canadian drama on television in primetime.
  • Require private conventional broadcasters spend 7% of ad revenues on scripted 10/10 drama.
  • Require broadcasters to air drama during primetime when audiences are watching.
  • Require broadcasters to air at least two hours of original Canadian drama a week.
  • Institute Canadian content requirements for all new technologies such as mobile TV and internet broadcasting, which are currently unregulated.