Canada’s CRTC decides against US content ban

Canadian broadcasters will be allowed to acquire a raft of US series at next week’s LA Screenings after the country’s regulator decided against imposing further quotas.

The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced plans in February to consider imposing a ruling that would require a 1:1 ratio between Canadian programming and international series.

While, the body decided against imposing this ahead of the Screenings, the event where Canadian broadcasters spend a large portion of their budgets on the latest US dramas and comedies, it did say it would continue to consider the change.

“The Commission has decided that it will not impose a condition on English-language broadcasters requiring a 1-to-1 ratio between Canadian and non-Canadian programming expenditures. Such a condition would not be practical for the upcoming broadcast year, given the sector’s production timelines and the programming commitments that are already in place,” the CRTC noted in a statement.

“However, the Commission will continue to explore various regulatory measures to ensure that English-language television broadcasters devote an appropriate proportion of their expenditures to Canadian programming,” it added.

The move comes as the CRTC issued broadcasters including Rogers, CTV, Canwest and Sun TV a short term broadcasting licenses.