Lazy Sunday # 476: Here Come The New Networks

This week, apparently feeling my signing a petition to reverse the CRTC decision to reduce the amount of money Cable providers remit for Canadian production, the Writers Guild of Canada asked me to reach out to my member of parliament, in the hope of turning their attention to our cause.

This request arrived around the time the National Post reported that several senior executives at the CBC had issued development and production deals using those cable funds to their assorted spouses or boyfriends. Apparently this had been investigated internally by the Mother Corporation which found nothing seriously untoward about these deals.

In other words, this is just how things are done at the CBC.

Now, I think those of us who have worked extensively in the private sector and/or within the American production industry are aware that such crap simply doesn't happen. Yeah, the occasional idiot nephew gets a job through nepotism. But the folks who make the final calls know that sort of thing is a career ender.

So, does this mean my Guild now wants me to contribute my lobbying efforts in support of a system that directly and personally benefits those in a position to decide which shows get made? 

And what's more, why am I being asked as both an artist and an audience member to continue funding an industry that's regularly having the folks from Silicon Valley eat their lunch? 

For this week, a number of new players entered the series production game. Facebook, for example, announced a new quiz show entitled "Last State Standing" which will offer an online prize of a half million dollars. 

At the same time, they indicated an interest in copying the Netflix model and picking up the recently cancelled MTV series "Loosely, Exactly Nicole" which stars comedienne Nicole Byers (pictured above).

The website also indicated an interest to pick up more of the current MTV scripted slate.

Meanwhile, Time Warner signed a deal for $100 Million to deliver 10 new series to Snapchat. That's right, a production sum equal to fully one half of what's being lost in Canada is going to produce shows for a web service primarily known for making your photographs disappear not long after you post them.

And if that doesn't have your head spinning -- investors also ponied up $450 Million to launch a studio which will exclusively produce online content for Vice.com.

What all of this means is huge amounts of money are being invested in shows unlikely to ever appear on a traditional TV screen -- unless they're streamed from a tablet, laptop or mobile phone. 

Why isn't the same thing happening here?

Because we'd apparently rather save an industry that hardly anybody pays any attention to anymore.

Clearly the future of drama and comedy is online. But years of an air-tight and government controlled system that regularly awarded producers who'd never earned a dime -- or just married the right network executives -- have led us to both lose touch with the entrepreneurial spirit to explore this new frontier as well as drying up any money that might come from those willing to invest in our ideas.

Here's a taste of "Loosely, Exactly Nicole". Are you telling me there aren't a whole shitload of Canadian creatives who couldn't do better...?

Enjoy Your Sunday.