Toronto -- Canadian broadcasters suffered a profit meltdown in 2008, and are still cleaning up a recessionary mess.
Canada's TV watchdog on Wednesday reported that private Canadian broadcasters saw profits slide 93% last year from soft ad sales and the fallout of the Hollywood writers strike, which severely disrupted primetime schedules here.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said private free, over-the-air stations recorded pretax profits of Can$8 million ($6.5 million) in 2008, down from a year-earlier Can$112.9 million.
Overall revenue for Ota stations slipped 1.5% to Can$2.1 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2008 on slowing national advertising sales in a worsening economy.
But while revenue eased and profits evaporated, private TV networks spent more on U.S. programming last year to bring hits to domestic advertisers.
In all, Can$775.2 million ($628.4 million) was spent on U.S. network series such as Fox's "American Idol" and ABC's "Desperate Housewives" last year, or 7.4% more than 2007 levels.
Spending on Canadian dramas...
Canada's TV watchdog on Wednesday reported that private Canadian broadcasters saw profits slide 93% last year from soft ad sales and the fallout of the Hollywood writers strike, which severely disrupted primetime schedules here.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said private free, over-the-air stations recorded pretax profits of Can$8 million ($6.5 million) in 2008, down from a year-earlier Can$112.9 million.
Overall revenue for Ota stations slipped 1.5% to Can$2.1 billion ($1.7 billion) in 2008 on slowing national advertising sales in a worsening economy.
But while revenue eased and profits evaporated, private TV networks spent more on U.S. programming last year to bring hits to domestic advertisers.
In all, Can$775.2 million ($628.4 million) was spent on U.S. network series such as Fox's "American Idol" and ABC's "Desperate Housewives" last year, or 7.4% more than 2007 levels.
Spending on Canadian dramas...
- 2/11/2009
- by By Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Toronto -- Canadian film and TV unions and producers on Wednesday staged countrywide protests over federal arts funding cuts just days before a national election.
"Culture is an economic engine that contributes 1.1 million (direct and indirect) jobs in this country," Richard Hardacre, national president of Canadian actors union Actra, said at a rally in Toronto. He added that actors must underline the value of Canadian culture to ordinary Canadians.
"This is not a time to put culture on the back burner," Writers Guild of Canada president Rebecca Schechter warned after Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently dismissed domestic artists as "elites" who attended red carpet galas.
Events also were held in Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax and elsewhere to protest Can$45 million in recent cuts imposed by the ruling Conservatives to domestic film and TV production, and other cultural funding.
The cuts have hit taxpayer-funded programs that enable Canadian artists and producers...
"Culture is an economic engine that contributes 1.1 million (direct and indirect) jobs in this country," Richard Hardacre, national president of Canadian actors union Actra, said at a rally in Toronto. He added that actors must underline the value of Canadian culture to ordinary Canadians.
"This is not a time to put culture on the back burner," Writers Guild of Canada president Rebecca Schechter warned after Prime Minister Stephen Harper recently dismissed domestic artists as "elites" who attended red carpet galas.
Events also were held in Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax and elsewhere to protest Can$45 million in recent cuts imposed by the ruling Conservatives to domestic film and TV production, and other cultural funding.
The cuts have hit taxpayer-funded programs that enable Canadian artists and producers...
- 10/8/2008
- by By Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Canadian actors on Thursday applauded a landmark report that urges a reduction in the number of U.S. shows on the domestic airwaves.
"Canadian TV airwaves are awash in Hollywood shows thanks to broadcasters chasing advertising dollars," ACTRA president Richard Hardacre said a day after the country's TV watchdog released a study of Canadian broadcast rules by veteran lawyers Laurence Dunbar and Christian Leblanc (HR 9/13).
"This report, commissioned by the CRTC itself, says market forces have failed to put high-quality Canadian programming on the air and that more effective measures are needed. ACTRA calls on the CRTC to act," Hardacre added.
But Glenn O'Farrell, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, slammed the 300-page Dunbar/LeBlanc report as "absolutely irresponsible."
"We believe that the report's far-reaching recommendations, if not properly applied, could fundamentally undermine the foundation of the Canadian broadcasting industry," he said.
The broadcasters were especially chilled by the report's recommendation that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission review the long-standing practice of simultaneous substitution, which sees Canadian broadcasters air U.S.
"Canadian TV airwaves are awash in Hollywood shows thanks to broadcasters chasing advertising dollars," ACTRA president Richard Hardacre said a day after the country's TV watchdog released a study of Canadian broadcast rules by veteran lawyers Laurence Dunbar and Christian Leblanc (HR 9/13).
"This report, commissioned by the CRTC itself, says market forces have failed to put high-quality Canadian programming on the air and that more effective measures are needed. ACTRA calls on the CRTC to act," Hardacre added.
But Glenn O'Farrell, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, slammed the 300-page Dunbar/LeBlanc report as "absolutely irresponsible."
"We believe that the report's far-reaching recommendations, if not properly applied, could fundamentally undermine the foundation of the Canadian broadcasting industry," he said.
The broadcasters were especially chilled by the report's recommendation that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission review the long-standing practice of simultaneous substitution, which sees Canadian broadcasters air U.S.
- 9/14/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Canadian actors on Tuesday angrily condemned a group representing Hollywood below-the-line workers for enlisting Washington in its bid to stem the northward flow of U.S. filming.
"We will fight this attack on Canada's film industry and insist on the right to provide support to our industry," ACTRA president Richard Hardacre said.
Hardacre was reacting to the filing of a complaint with the U.S. Trade Representative by the Los Angeles-based Film and Television Action Committee.
In a formal petition for relief under section 301(a) of the 1974 federal trade act, FTAC is urging that Washington call for a halt to Canadian subsidies that it argues unfairly lure U.S. productions across the border.
"It's difficult to find a Canadian film in a Canadian theater with all the U.S. blockbusters dominating our screens," Hardacre said. "Yet this upstart organization has the nerve to insist studios stop filming in Canada."
FTAC plans to ask the USTR to negotiate with the Canadian government in a bid to end tax credits and other lucrative incentives it offers foreign producers.
"We will fight this attack on Canada's film industry and insist on the right to provide support to our industry," ACTRA president Richard Hardacre said.
Hardacre was reacting to the filing of a complaint with the U.S. Trade Representative by the Los Angeles-based Film and Television Action Committee.
In a formal petition for relief under section 301(a) of the 1974 federal trade act, FTAC is urging that Washington call for a halt to Canadian subsidies that it argues unfairly lure U.S. productions across the border.
"It's difficult to find a Canadian film in a Canadian theater with all the U.S. blockbusters dominating our screens," Hardacre said. "Yet this upstart organization has the nerve to insist studios stop filming in Canada."
FTAC plans to ask the USTR to negotiate with the Canadian government in a bid to end tax credits and other lucrative incentives it offers foreign producers.
TORONTO -- Frustrated with Canadian broadcasters' continuing reliance on American primetime series, Canada's actors union on Thursday urged regulators to establish new rules for Canadian program expenditures following takeover deals.
ACTRA, which represents 21,000 domestic performers, urged the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to force broadcasters that acquire rivals to spend more on homegrown dramas and less on U.S. shows bought to jack up ratings to justify the mega deals.
"We're alarmed by the amount of American programming acquired by CTV and CanWest Global Communications and we hope that Rogers doesn't do the same thing," ACTRA national president Richard Hardacre said at a CRTC hearing looking into the CAN$375 million ($353 million) purchase of five Citytv station from rival CTV.
As a remedy, Hardacre urged the CRTC to change the rules for benefits packages flowing from industry takeovers.
Typically, the CRTC orders acquiring companies to contribute 10% of the value of a negotiated purchase price toward investment in Canadian programming to demonstrate the deal's "tangible benefits."
Hardacre asked the CRTC to calculate benefit packages based on the full value of the purchase and ensure that two-thirds of benefits are directed to Canadian drama series.
ACTRA, which represents 21,000 domestic performers, urged the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to force broadcasters that acquire rivals to spend more on homegrown dramas and less on U.S. shows bought to jack up ratings to justify the mega deals.
"We're alarmed by the amount of American programming acquired by CTV and CanWest Global Communications and we hope that Rogers doesn't do the same thing," ACTRA national president Richard Hardacre said at a CRTC hearing looking into the CAN$375 million ($353 million) purchase of five Citytv station from rival CTV.
As a remedy, Hardacre urged the CRTC to change the rules for benefits packages flowing from industry takeovers.
Typically, the CRTC orders acquiring companies to contribute 10% of the value of a negotiated purchase price toward investment in Canadian programming to demonstrate the deal's "tangible benefits."
Hardacre asked the CRTC to calculate benefit packages based on the full value of the purchase and ensure that two-thirds of benefits are directed to Canadian drama series.
- 8/31/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Canadian actors union ACTRA said Tuesday that its membership has voted 99% in favor of extending its current three-year deal with the Association of Canadian Advertisers and the Institute of Communications and Advertising for another year, from July 1-June 30, 2008.
The new deal will see ACTRA members receive a 3% raise in minimum day rates and a 1% raise in insurance contributions.
"We're happy that our membership is behind this extension, it's a strong signal of our members' support for the negotiating committee and the solidarity within our union," said Richard Hardacre, ACTRA's national president.
The ACA's board earlier ratified the settlement terms.
The Canadian commercial production sector was not affected by ACTRA's recent winter strike against North American film and TV producers because individual commercial production houses made arrangements with ACTRA to allow commercial shoots to continue through the dispute.
The new deal will see ACTRA members receive a 3% raise in minimum day rates and a 1% raise in insurance contributions.
"We're happy that our membership is behind this extension, it's a strong signal of our members' support for the negotiating committee and the solidarity within our union," said Richard Hardacre, ACTRA's national president.
The ACA's board earlier ratified the settlement terms.
The Canadian commercial production sector was not affected by ACTRA's recent winter strike against North American film and TV producers because individual commercial production houses made arrangements with ACTRA to allow commercial shoots to continue through the dispute.
TORONTO -- Canada's actors union Tuesday named actor Richard Hardacre as its new national president. He replaces outgoing president Thor Bishopric. Hardacre, a member of the national governing council of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists since 1995 and president of its Toronto branch for four years, will become national president for an initial two-year term. In that role, Hardacre will oversee upcoming negotiations with Canadian and U.S. producers on a new Independent Production Agreement, which governs actor rates and workplace conditions on film and TV shoots here.
- 5/31/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Canada's largest performers union, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, said Wednesday that veteran actor Karl Pruner has been voted in as president of its Toronto branch for a two-year term, replacing fellow actor Richard Hardacre. Pruner, an ACTRA member for 25 years, most recently took part in negotiations with independent producers on workplace rates and conditions. His film and TV credits include Total Recall 2070, The Elizabeth Smart Story and Dick. ACTRA, representing around 13,000 domestic actors, maintains reciprocal relationships with the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and members of both Hollywood unions can qualify for ACTRA membership when working in Canada.
- 1/13/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Veteran Canadian actor Paul Gross will receive the 2005 ACTRA Award of Excellence at a gala dinner Feb. 18, Canada's performers union said Thursday. The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists, representing 13,000 domestic performers, said it will toast Gross both for his onscreen work and for his efforts to restore the ailing Canadian drama. "Without question Paul Gross is a real Canadian star -- an accomplished actor, a respected and notable writer and director, known to audiences around the world," ACTRA Toronto president Richard Hardacre said in a statement. "He is firmly committed to the possibility of a vibrant Canadian film and television industry and has demonstrated true leadership in the campaign to foster English-Canadian culture on our screens." Past winners of the ACTRA Award of Excellence include Sonja Smits and Gordon Pinsent.
- 12/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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