The Canadian Retransmission Collective collects and distributes Canadian-territory retransmission royalties on behalf of producers in Canada and around the world. (More? See eligibility.) These royalties are collected from retransmitters – such as cable and satellite companies – who profit from providing broadcast signals to their customers. Royalties are paid for the use of programs in broadcast signals that are classed as ‘distant’. Distant – as opposed to local – signals can’t be picked up by antennae, because the customer is too far from the originating signal. The exception. Programs on specialty and Pay-TV (such as BBC Canada, Arts and Entertainment, and The Movie Network) are not included. Why not? They don’t originate over the air, and they are copyright cleared. These royalties are distributed to the CRC’s affiliates, who include: • independent Canadian program producers • producers of programs shown on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and Radio-France Outremer (RFO) • all programs produced by educational broadcasters in Canada (except Télé-Québec) • all foreign producers and broadcasters outside North America • producers of music videos used in Canadian programs The CRC represents US programs only when they are retransmitted on a PBS station or Radio-France Outremer (RFO). |
