Exporting Canadian Television Globally

Exporting Canadian television programming is becoming increasingly important for both the federal government’s policy and the industry’s long-term economic health. That is why the Canadian Media Producers Association, in partnership with the Canada Media Fund, the Association québécoise de la production médiatique and Telefilm Canada, commissioned a study on the international sale of Canadian television programming rights.

The goals of the study were three-fold:

• To identify key trends in international sales of television programs generally and Canadian television programs specifically;
• To provide intelligence on challenges and opportunities to increase foreign sales;
• To identify policies, programs and initiatives to support foreign sales in other jurisdictions and make recommendations to ensure that Canadian initiatives are competitive.

The study argues that one of Canada’s main strengths is the collaboration that exists between federal and provincial agencies to promote Canadian television programming, foster a greater number of coproductions and attract foreign investments. This strength constitutes the basis on which it is possible to create a dynamic approach to export development, an approach that is susceptible of giving the Canadian industry the confidence it needs to progress on the world stage.