Search

Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288-1

PDF version

Reference: 2024-288

Gatineau, 26 February 2025

Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0288

Notice of hearing

31 March 2025
Gatineau, Quebec

The Path Forward – Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector

Addition of a public opinion research report to the public record and key issues in focus during the public hearing beginning 31 March 2025

  1. In The Path Forward – Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288, 15 November 2024 (the Notice), the Commission launched a consultation to modernize the definition of Canadian content in the audio-visual sector. The proceeding is part of the Commission’s broader regulatory plan to implement the modernized Broadcasting Act and help to ensure the sustainability and growth of Canada’s broadcasting system.
  2. The Commission has added a public opinion research report to the public record and is setting out the key issues it will focus on during the oral phase of the public hearing.
  3. The Commission will announce the date for the filing of final written submissions at or near the end of the oral phase of the public hearing. Information on the format and length of final written submissions will also be provided at that time. The Commission reminds parties that the record of this proceeding may ultimately include responses to requests for information as well as responses provided as a result of undertakings made by parties appearing at the hearing. The Commission encourages parties to regularly review the public record as they may wish to address these materials in their final written submissions.

Addition of a public opinion research report to the public record

  1. In the Notice, the Commission indicated that it had hired a third party to conduct public opinion research and that a report would be included on the public record.
  2. The Commission has received the report on this public opinion research from Phoenix Strategy Perspectives Inc. and has added the report to the public record for this proceeding. This report presents the views and attitudes of individuals and groups on the importance and value of Canadian programming and on how easy it is to access such programming. It also presents views and attitudes on the quality and diversity of news programming, the types of news programming that are considered important, and how the availability of news programming differs in urban and rural areas. Parties will have the opportunity to provide their comments on the report at the hearing and in their final written submissions, if they so choose. Those comments will form part of the public record.

Key issues for the hearing beginning 31 March 2025

  1. In the Notice, the Commission stated that it would indicate before the hearing which of the questions included in the Notice would be addressed in the oral phase of the public hearing.
  2. Given the extent of the issues to be addressed as part of this proceeding, the Commission intends to focus on the following key issues at the hearing:
    • the definition of “Canadian program”, including the following elements:
      • key creative positions,
      • the points system, including the addition of “showrunner”, and
      • rights or interest in relation to a program, including intellectual property rights, and financial control;
    • the Canadian programming expenditure (CPE) framework;
    • at risk programming (i.e., the current framework for programs of national interest [PNI]), including supports for news programming;
    • the publication of expenditures made and revenues earned in Canada; and
    • the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the production industry, and more specifically:
      • the impact that AI may have on various elements in the audio-visual production industry (such as dubbing, animation and scriptwriting) as it relates to Canadian programming;
      • the ways in which AI can be used to maximize efficiencies and provide cost-cutting effects; and
      • transparency surrounding the use of AI within the production industry.
  3. While parties are welcome to discuss any of the issues and questions set out in the Notice, focusing the discussion on these key issues during the hearing will allow parties and the Commission to use their time efficiently and test key public policy outcomes. In rendering its decision, the Commission will take into account the entirety of the public record, which includes all material filed by the parties to this proceeding, any material added to the record by the Commission, and all responses to Commission questions.

Secretary General

Date modified: