Canada's Independent Media Producers Outline their Vision for Canadian Content in a Digital World

CMPA submits report to the Ministry of Canadian Heritage; calls for a fair, efficient and fundamentally Canadian production sector

OTTAWA, Nov. 25, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) released its blueprint for a thriving screen-based production sector in Canada.  Its submission for the Canadian Content in a Digital World consultations, spearheaded by the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, highlights the central role that independent producers play in the success of the sector.  The submission outlines 12 recommendations to ensure outstanding made-in-Canada content continues to entertain audiences at home and abroad for decades to come, regardless of how that content is consumed.

Among its recommendations, the CMPA calls for:

• An updated policy framework that ensures all services and platforms which benefit from being part of the Canadian system also contribute to the success of that system; this includes Over-The-Top (OTT) services and Internet Services Providers (ISPs).
• Relief from the heavy administrative burden faced by producers, through increased efficiencies and reduced duplication between Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, and the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office.
• An expanded definition of Canadian content that includes new elements (e.g. points awarded for the adaptation of a bestselling Canadian novel) as well as tax credit incentives to maximize the use of Canadian creative talent.

"As creative entrepreneurs, this consultation presents our sector with an unprecedented occasion to identify and embrace the opportunities created by recent advances in digital technology," said Reynolds Mastin, President and CEO, CMPA. "We applaud the Minister's leadership on this initiative and stand ready to help develop an updated set of policies and programs, that will allow our sector to thrive, so we can create jobs, promote our culture, and unleash our full creative potential."

The development of the CMPA's submission and its recommendations was guided by four pillars:

• Screen-based content rather than platforms
• Creativity and risk-taking, instead of constraints
• Modernization and efficiency, as opposed to complexity
• An outward, global focus replacing a more internally-focused policy mindset

Other recommendations focus on improving discoverability and increasing export opportunities, promoting innovation within the production sector, and protecting intellectual property rights. 

More information, including the full submission and a media backgrounder summarizing all 12 recommendations, is available at www.ProducersinaDigitalWorld.ca

About the CMPA

The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) is the country's leading member-based advocacy organization for independent producers, representing hundreds of companies engaged in the development and distribution of English-language content made for television, cinema and digital media channels. The CMPA works to promote the continued success of the Canadian production sector and ensure a future for diverse content made by Canadians for both domestic and international audiences. 

SOURCE Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA)

Andrew Addison, Vice-President, Communications and Marketing, [email protected], 647-789-2491