Group says more Canadian dollars going to U.S. programs
Source : CBC Radio The Arts Report
Oct 25, 2001
A report claims private TV networks in Canada have increased the amount they spend on non-Canadian programs by more than 50 per cent.
The report by Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is accusing the networks of using government money to help finance American programs.
The group said public funding to promote and support Canadian programming has doubled in recent years. But it said private broadcasters, including CTV and CanWest Global, have cut spending on Canadian programs and are buying more foreign programs.
Trina McQueen, president of CTV, doesn't agree with the report. She said it fails to include Canadian programming on specialty and pay-TV channels owned by private broadcasters.
"We don't think that when politicians put this investment into the support for Canadian programming, they had in mind that what the private broadcasters would end up doing is spending more of their money in Hollywood," McQueen said.
