All posts by Greg David

Prior to becoming a television critic and owner of TV, Eh?, Greg David was a critic for TV Guide Canada, the country's most trusted source for TV news. He has interviewed television actors, actresses and behind-the-scenes folks from hundreds of television series from Canada, the U.S. and internationally. He is a podcaster, public speaker, weekly radio guest and educator, and past member of the Television Critics Association.
Industry News

CRTC releases 2015 financial results for Canadian conventional television stations

From a media release:

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today released statistical and financial information on Canadian conventional television stations for the broadcast year ending August 31, 2015.

In 2015, there were 93 private conventional television stations in operation in Canada, which generated total revenues of $1.76 billion. These stations continued to operate in a challenging environment, with total revenues declining 2.6%, or $46.6 million, from 2014.

To meet the objectives of the Broadcasting Act, the CRTC requires most television broadcasters to spend a minimum percentage of their revenues on content made by Canadians. In 2015, private conventional television stations invested $652.8 million in Canadian programing, a 5.4% (or $33.5 million) increase from 2014.

Investments in Canadian programming have grown consistently over the last five years as conventional televisions stations spent 16% more in 2015 than in 2011. These investments accounted for 49.8% of total programming expenses in 2015, up from 43.6% in 2011. Of note, private conventional television stations spent $60.9 million less on foreign programming in 2015 compared to 2014, primarily due to a reduction in spending on drama.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/Société Radio-Canada (CBC/SRC) reported total revenues of $1.1 billion in 2015, down 16.6%, or $220.9 million, from the previous year.

As Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC/SRC continued to invest heavily in Canadian programming. In 2015, these investments totaled $557.2 million, accounting for 96.4% of the CBC/SRC’s total expenditures on programming. In particular, spending on news ($190.9 million) and drama ($144.1 million) accounted for 60.1% of its total expenditures on Canadian programming.

Conventional television stations employed 10,995 people in 2015, with the CBC/SRC employing 5,205 people.

Each year, the CRTC compiles financial data on the Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications sectors to produce a series of reports. To increase Canadians’ access to relevant information related to the Canadian broadcasting system, this year’s publication on conventional television stations includes the amount they spent on animation and children’s programming.

The CRTC recently published the financial results for AM and FM radio stations and will soon publish the results for the specialty, pay, pay-per-view and video-on-demand services, as well as cable and satellite companies. Following the publication of these reports, the CRTC will issue its annual Communications Monitoring Report.

These annual reports help interested parties to stay informed about the state of the Canadian communication industry and to participate in the CRTC’s public consultations.

Quick facts

Private stations

  • Private conventional television stations saw their revenues drop by 2.6%, from $1.80 billion in 2014 to $1.76 billion in 2015.
  • Expenses went from $1.85 billion in 2014 to $1.82 billion in 2015, a decrease of 1.6%.
  • Profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) declined from –$138.7 million to –$140.9 million, and the PBIT margin decreased from -7.7% to -8%.
  • Investments by private conventional television stations in Canadian programming increased from $619.3 million in 2014 to $652.8 million in 2015.
  • Private conventional television stations invested $49.6 million on Canadian drama series, $5.3 million on films, $86.7 million on human interest programs, $369.6 million on news programs, $7.3 million on long-form documentaries, $30 million for other information programs, $17.1 million for music and variety shows, $21.5 million on sports programming, $17.3 million on game shows, $45 million on reality TV shows, $2.7 million on awards shows, $358,000 on animation programming and $343,000 on children’s programming.
  • As part of these investments, conventional television stations paid $142.1 million to Canadian independent producers.
  • Revenues from the sale of local advertising declined from $333.6 million in 2014 to $330.1 million in 2015, a 1.0% decrease. National advertising revenues for private conventional television stations remained virtually unchanged at $1.2 billion in 2015.

CBC/SRC

  • In 2015, the CBC/SRC reported advertising revenues of $220.1 million, which represented a decline of 53.6 % from the $474.6 million generated the previous year.
  • The absence of major sporting events in 2015 coupled with the loss of the NHL television rights contributed to the decline in advertising revenues.
  • The amount of Parliamentary Appropriation allocated to the 27 conventional television stations rose by 4.4% to $757.9 million in 2015.
  • The CBC/SRC’s program expenditures totaled $687.3 million; of that amount, $557.2 million (or 81.1%) were expenses related to Canadian programming expenses.
  • The public broadcaster also spent $9 million on animation programming, and $33.8 million on programming targeting children.
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Featured, Orphan Black

Donnie steals the spotlight on Orphan Black

1 Comment

Yes, I know Season 4 of Orphan Black has (so far) been the quest to find out what the cheek bots are, what they do and how to remove them. We’ve been introduced to M.K. (there’s a killer reveal this week regarding her past), gotten great flashbacks to Beth’s story and have witnessed some truly inspired crafting from Helena. But Donnie has been kicking some major butt so far this season. Maybe it’s because we need someone like Donnie to inject some levity into a series full of science and drama, but some of Kristian Bruun’s best stuff is part of Thursday’s new episode, “From Instinct to Rational Control.”

Donnie + Helena
An all-too-brief scene features Donnie explaining the struggles he and Alison had as they tried to conceive. It’s a tender moment between two characters who are usually providing laughs, like last week’s chat with the police officers.

OB_2

Donnie + Felix = Orphan Black‘s new power couple?
The investigation into Trina’s pregnancy is thrust forward thanks to Felix and Donnie going deep undercover at Lifespring Fertility. Alison can’t go in because Beth already did, so it’s up to the two boys … who pretend to be a couple. Again, Donnie provides the chuckles, especially when it comes time for him to provide a sample to the Lifespring staff and calls on Alison for some help. Also? I’d definitely watch a spinoff series named Douglas & Julian.

Orphan Black airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on Space.

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Featured, Podcast

TV, eh? podcast episode 205 – Sweet honeysuckle flair

Anthony and Diane go it alone while Greg attends the Writers Guild of Canada’s 2016 Screenwriting Awards and they sound way too happy that he’s not there.

Once the love-in ends, the pair discuss what’s coming up in the next two weeks of Canadian TV programming, who was winning at the WGC fête, CBC’s worldwide search for the lead actress in Anne and the federal government’s announcement that Cancon will be re-examined.

Want to contribute to the discussion? Post links and discussion topics on our Reddit page.

Listen or download below, or subscribe via iTunes or any other podcast catcher with the TV, eh? podcast feed.

Want to support TV, eh?’s work? Become a Patreon!

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Industry News

James Tupper and Anne Heche star in Space’s Aftermath

From a media release:

May 3, 2016 – Halfire Entertainment, Syfy, and Space announced today that real life couple James Tupper (“Revenge”, “Men in Trees”, “Big Little Lies” – David E. Kelley’s upcoming limited-series on HBO) and Anne Heche (“Hung”, “Men in Trees”) will star as husband and wife in the new post-apocalyptic thriller AFTERMATH. Created by William Laurin and Glenn Davis, and produced by Halfire Entertainment in association with Syfy and Bell Media’s Space, the 13-episode series will premiere on Syfy in the United States and Space in Canada this summer. Production begins May 9 in Vancouver.

Tupper and Heche will play Joshua and Karen Copeland who, along with their three teenagers, must battle for survival after civilization comes to an apocalyptic end, triggered by devastating natural disasters – and the rise of supernatural creatures.

James Tupper portrays Joshua Copeland, a university professor whose study of world cultures gives him unique abilities and insights that may help him decode the events of the apocalypse. Anne Heche plays his wife Karen Copeland, a fierce protector who, in her quest to keep her family safe, draws on the combat skills and survival training she received as an Air Force pilot.

Tupper and Heche join co-stars Julia Sarah Stone (“The Killing”, “Falling Skies”) and Taylor Hickson (“Deadpool”) who play their twin daughters Dana and Brianna, as well as Levi Meaden (“The Killing”, “Olympus”) who portrays their eldest son Matt.

AFTERMATH will feature guest stars throughout the season, including Leslie Hope (“Tyrant”, “24”) who will also direct two episodes of the series.

AFTERMATH creators/showrunners will be William Laurin and Glenn Davis (“Missing”, “Power Play”, “John Woo’s Once a Thief”). Jason Stone (“This is the End”, “The Calling”), will direct the first two episodes. Laurin and Davis will executive produce along with Julie Hope. Suzanne Berger and Connie Dolphin will produce. In addition to his lead role on the series, James Tupper will also co-produce. Jason Stone is consulting producer.

Also set to direct this season are Stefan Pleszczinski (“Being Human”, “Supernatural”), Kaare Andrews (“Altitude”, “Cabin Fever 3: Patient Zero”), April Mullen (“Killjoys”) and James Marshall (“Smallville”, “The Shannara Chronicles”).

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