CRTC Eyes Placing Cap on Imported Content

OTTAWA: The CRTC is considering a policy change that would require Canadian conventional broadcasters to spend as much on imported programming as they do on local content.

The regulatory body is reviewing the license renewal process for Canadian broadcasters in the wake of the economic downturn and dramatic changes in the local landscape. One issue is the length of the license term, which currently stands at seven years. The CRTC says it is "predisposed at this time to issue short-term one-year licenses" this April when the networks renew their licenses. CRTC is also planning to assess license renewal applications by ownership group, rather than by sector, given the recent consolidation in the market.

The CRTC also says it is considering the imposition of a 1:1 ratio requirement between Canadian and non-Canadian programming expenditures, both on a trial basis during a short-term license, and on a longer-term basis. This comes after the CRTC released data showing a 7.4-percent increase in spending on foreign programming in 2008, with flat spending on local content.