The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) lauds CTVglobemedia (CTVgm) for tabling $27 million more towards benefits payments as part of their acquisition of CHUM. The DGC lead the charge before the CRTC to force the broadcaster to reassess the value of the CHUM acquisition in their bid to acquire it.

Monique Lafontaine, the DGC's General Counsel and Director of Regulatory Affairs, appeared before the CRTC on Wednesday and asserted in her testimony that CHUM's $270 million debt must be included as a component of the value of the transaction. She also maintained that CTVgm should put more benefits monies on the table if it is permitted to operate twin-sticks in five major markets across Canada. These adjustments would result in an additional $48 million in benefits payments, which the DGC argues should be directed towards the creation of original high quality Canadian drama programming.

"This is a huge victory for the DGC and the Canadian broadcasting system. If CTV is given the privilege of acquiring the premium CHUM stations, it must in return give back to the system. CTV's concession on the benefits package is a step in the right direction," says Lafontaine. "It is, however, also essential that these benefits be incremental to what is already spent in the system. We trust the CRTC will see to that," she adds.

The DGC is also pleased that, per their recommendation, CTV has conceded to raising the number of hours of priority programming on Citytv Toronto from seven to eight hours per week. This will give another opportunity for Canadian programming to be aired in prime time.
The complete submission can be found at http://www.dgc.ca/page.php?id=503