CRTC reviews local TV programming improvement tax (LPIF) - being phased out - Page 3 - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

peano · 2012-07-18, 09:16 PM

I quickly scanned the CRTC ruling and found near the bottom:

"Concurring opinion of Commissioner Michel Morin"

Its a very good read. This guy should be running the CRTC.

A snippet:

"Innovating does not necessarily mean spending more, and what matters in the final analysis, to my mind, is the news and, above all, the local content of the news. This does not mean micromanaging as some interveners claimed, but rather ensuring that the $300 million paid by consumers is used to reach an end (local coverage) and an objective (minimum quantity of Category 1 local news). As for calculating “local segments” in each newscast, with this practice put into place, any production assistant could have done it in less than a minute at the end of the local news report. It isn’t rocket science, it’s not complicated to ensure that there is something for every consumer at the end of each broadcast week.

This is the subject I would have liked to discuss, and one that few participants raised in their final arguments. To them, I simply say, a word to the wise is enough. You do not want any condition in terms of minimum quantities of Category 1 local news, so do not count on me to impose regulatory fees of 1.5% on the bills of 11.3 million Canadian cable and satellite subscribers or their distributors! As a member of a regulatory body, my focus is accountability and transparency. There is no way I am going to give you $300 million on a silver platter for another three years, with no condition requiring you to produce truly local news for the benefit of consumers in each of these markets. Because in most cases it is the consumers who paid this $300 million over three years, I simply wanted to ensure that the content they receive actually does include local news, in the strict sense of the term. Better luck next time, if the opportunity ever arises again.
"

Tridus · 2012-07-19, 07:09 AM

That's a really interesting snippit from the decision!

I still tihnk the long term fix is to go to FFC and a-la-carte channel selection. If people really want local news, they can subscribe and pay for it. If they don't want it, then no harm done if it disappears. It's not a sacred cow that we need to find convoluted schemes to protect.

I'm also amused that people fell for that "save local TV" campaign years ago, then immediately started complaining en masse about the LPIF being added to their bills. Just where did they think the money was going to come from?

JamesK · 2012-07-19, 07:58 AM

LPIF is a separate line item on my Rogers bill, so it's easy enough to remove. However, what dreamer would ever imagine that any fee imposed on the BDUs would not be passed, in one way or another, on to the consumer? Then again, no one ever accused the CRTC of operating in the real world.

ScaryBob · 2012-07-19, 08:10 AM

And the threats from CTV continue... That's not surprising since the CRTC gave the parent company (Bell) permission to simsub with Toronto and Vancouver stations on a national basis. That's easy to fix. No local, no simsub should be the policy.

Simonizer · 2012-07-19, 10:28 AM

The question remains though, with the LPIF soon to be gone, how will Canadian networks now find that extra money to spend on American shows?

proggy · 2012-07-20, 10:29 AM

Atv(Ctv) and Global MARITIMES should be called ATV Halifax and Global Halifax.Anyone else sick of hearing of a cat stuck in a tree in Point Pleasant park lol.
THey should`ve used that money to open brick and mortar stations in Moncton seeing it`s the second most important city in the Maritimes.
I guess it's too late now.http://www.globalmaritimes.com/crtc+...472/story.html

gretzky · 2012-07-30, 11:15 PM

Last week, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced that it is terminating the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF). The fund, which was established in 2008, funneled over $300 million to broadcasters to support the creation of local programming. The decision caught the industry by surprise with the CBC calling it "astonishing" and Bell Media saying it is a "major concern."

more here

http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/v.../135/#comments

Tridus · 2012-07-31, 05:44 AM

If the CRTC keeps this up, we may need an "I love the CRTC" sticky thread!

manoman · 2012-08-02, 08:06 PM

Crtc made the right decision on this...I doubt Bell will close stations.

2012-07-19, 08:10 AM	#34
ScaryBob Veteran Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Dandelion City Posts: 7,133	And the threats from CTV continue... That's not surprising since the CRTC gave the parent company (Bell) permission to simsub with Toronto and Vancouver stations on a national basis. That's easy to fix. No local, no simsub should be the policy. __________________ At 20 I had a good mind. At 40 I had money. At 60 I've lost my mind and my money. Oh, to be 20 again. --Scary

2012-07-20, 10:29 AM	#36
proggy Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 70	Atv(Ctv) and Global MARITIMES should be called ATV Halifax and Global Halifax.Anyone else sick of hearing of a cat stuck in a tree in Point Pleasant park lol. THey should`ve used that money to open brick and mortar stations in Moncton seeing it`s the second most important city in the Maritimes. I guess it's too late now.http://www.globalmaritimes.com/crtc+...472/story.html Last edited by proggy; 2012-07-20 at 10:54 AM.

2012-07-30, 11:15 PM	#37
gretzky Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 736	CRTC Message to Broadcasters: Regulatory Games Coming to an End Last week, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced that it is terminating the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF). The fund, which was established in 2008, funneled over $300 million to broadcasters to support the creation of local programming. The decision caught the industry by surprise with the CBC calling it "astonishing" and Bell Media saying it is a "major concern." more here http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/v.../135/#comments Last edited by 57; 2012-07-31 at 09:50 AM. Reason: Moved to existing thread.

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2012-07-18, 09:16 PM	#31
peano Veteran Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3,588	I quickly scanned the CRTC ruling and found near the bottom: "Concurring opinion of Commissioner Michel Morin" Its a very good read. This guy should be running the CRTC. A snippet: "Innovating does not necessarily mean spending more, and what matters in the final analysis, to my mind, is the news and, above all, the local content of the news. This does not mean micromanaging as some interveners claimed, but rather ensuring that the $300 million paid by consumers is used to reach an end (local coverage) and an objective (minimum quantity of Category 1 local news). As for calculating “local segments” in each newscast, with this practice put into place, any production assistant could have done it in less than a minute at the end of the local news report. It isn’t rocket science, it’s not complicated to ensure that there is something for every consumer at the end of each broadcast week. This is the subject I would have liked to discuss, and one that few participants raised in their final arguments. To them, I simply say, a word to the wise is enough. You do not want any condition in terms of minimum quantities of Category 1 local news, so do not count on me to impose regulatory fees of 1.5% on the bills of 11.3 million Canadian cable and satellite subscribers or their distributors! As a member of a regulatory body, my focus is accountability and transparency. There is no way I am going to give you $300 million on a silver platter for another three years, with no condition requiring you to produce truly local news for the benefit of consumers in each of these markets. Because in most cases it is the consumers who paid this $300 million over three years, I simply wanted to ensure that the content they receive actually does include local news, in the strict sense of the term. Better luck next time, if the opportunity ever arises again. "

2012-07-19, 07:09 AM	#32
Tridus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Fredericton, NB Posts: 582	That's a really interesting snippit from the decision! I still tihnk the long term fix is to go to FFC and a-la-carte channel selection. If people really want local news, they can subscribe and pay for it. If they don't want it, then no harm done if it disappears. It's not a sacred cow that we need to find convoluted schemes to protect. I'm also amused that people fell for that "save local TV" campaign years ago, then immediately started complaining en masse about the LPIF being added to their bills. Just where did they think the money was going to come from?

2012-07-19, 07:58 AM	#33
JamesK Veteran Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mississauga Posts: 5,087	LPIF is a separate line item on my Rogers bill, so it's easy enough to remove. However, what dreamer would ever imagine that any fee imposed on the BDUs would not be passed, in one way or another, on to the consumer? Then again, no one ever accused the CRTC of operating in the real world.

2012-07-19, 10:28 AM	#35
Simonizer Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 308	The question remains though, with the LPIF soon to be gone, how will Canadian networks now find that extra money to spend on American shows?

2012-07-31, 05:44 AM	#38
Tridus Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Fredericton, NB Posts: 582	If the CRTC keeps this up, we may need an "I love the CRTC" sticky thread!

2012-08-02, 08:06 PM	#39
manoman Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 36	Crtc made the right decision on this...I doubt Bell will close stations.