Canadian Cultural Policies Chronology 1960's
Split-run magazines and satellite communications raise new questions for policymakers.
| 1960 |
|
A Royal Commission on Publications is appointed by the federal government to investigate the Canadian periodical industry, with a view to "insuring its place in Canada's way of life." Grattan O'Leary is appointed Chair.
|
| 1961 |
|
The Canadian Television Network (CTV) is launched.
The Report of the Royal Commission on Publications (the O'Leary Report) is released. The report:
- notes that 80 per cent of Canada's magazine industry is foreign-controlled
- recommends the imposition of tariffs for "split-run" editorial editions (a "split-run" is a foreign-owned magazine that prints a second edition in Canada in order to benefit from Canadian advertising revenues)
- recommends that advertising costs in "split-run" magazines be made non-deductible under the Income Tax Act
|
| 1964 |
|
The Fowler Broadcasting Committee is established by the Secretary of State to examine the dominance of foreign programming in the Canadian broadcasting system, despite the existence of Canadian "content quotas" in place since the passage of the 1958 Broadcasting Act.
|
| 1965 |
|
In response to recommendations made by the 1961 Royal Commission on Publications, the federal government implements a Customs Tariff on "split-run" magazines. The tariff blocks the distribution of foreign magazines with advertisements directed at Canadians by allowing Canada Customs to seize four subsequent editions of a publication found to be a "split-run."
The Income Tax Act is amended to allow Canadian advertisers to claim expenses for advertising placed in periodicals which are at least 75 per cent Canadian-owned. The same applies to television ads on stations at least 80 per cent Canadian-owned.
Time and Digest, popular U.S. magazines, are exempted through a legal loophole, which is closed in 1977.
|
| 1968 |
The Canadian Film Development Corporation Act establishes the Canadian Film Development Corporation. The new Corporation's mandate is to foster the growth and development of Canada's feature film industry.
The Broadcasting Act (1968) is passed in response to recommendations made by the 1964 Fowler Committee on Broadcasting. Replacing the 1958 Broadcasting Act, the new act:
- expands Canadian content quotas by establishing that 60 per cent of television content must be Canadian
- stipulates Canadian ownership of the Canadian broadcasting system
- gives the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) its mandate as Canada's national broadcaster in both official languages to promote Canadian cultural expression
- establishes the Canadian Radio-television Commission (CRTC) to take over the duties of the Board of Broadcast Governors (BBG)
The CRTC is given the authority to regulate the non-technical aspects of the Canadian broadcasting industry, including:
- granting and renewing broadcasting licenses
- maintaining Canadian programming content quotas
- ensuring that broadcasting ownership remains Canadian
The federal government's White Paper on Satellite Communications is presented to Parliament.
|
|
1969
|
In response to the 1968 White Paper on Satellite Communications, the Telesat Canada Act is passed and gives Telesat Canada a monopoly to provide satellite communications services to Canadians.
The federal government orders the CRTC to stop issuing broadcasting licenses to corporations which are less than 80 per cent Canadian-owned.
|
