Much of Canada’s media elite has been huddled in Ottawa this past week debating the
merits of changing the Canadian Television Fund. This SeaBoard report argues that
much of the debate misses the point that the television picture is changing – that
internet-based programme distribution by-passes broadcaster and Broadcast
Distribution Undertaking alike.

This does not mean that there is no longer any need to support Canadian writers,
actors, directors, or productions – but we may need to rethink how.

As our title suggests the real debate shouldn’t be about robbing Peter to pay Paul — to
restrict the debate to the narrow terms of yesterday’s distribution metaphor would be
to lose the opportunity to make a real difference.

This paper looks at the CTF, and the genesis of the current debate - we also touch on
what the changing distribution paradigm means, and how some of the
recommendations of the task force might form a starting point for a next-century
approach to the challenge.