Doug Ford government scrapping agency that rates films | CBC News:
September 27, 2019 - "The Ford government is dissolving the independent agency responsible for classifying films screened in Ontario movie theatres. The Ontario Film Authority (OFA) will no longer issue film ratings ... according to a Ministry of Government and Consumer Services memo obtained by CBC News.
"'The Ontario Film Authority will be winding down its operations and the ministry will look to the industry to consult on ways to better reflect today's film market,' says the memo from Michele Sanborn, the assistant deputy minister.
"In the short term, says the memo, films screened in Ontario theatres must use the rating issued by British Columbia's film classification body. Longer-term changes are expected next spring. Dissolving the OFA will save the industry $1.5 million to $2 million a year in licensing and classification costs, according to the memo.
"Films that go straight online and are never shown in cinemas don't require a rating from the OFA. The trend toward streaming means the agency approved 1,000 fewer films in 2018-19 compared with the previous year.
"The OFA was designed to operate on a cost-recovery basis, charging filmmakers fees for issuing ratings such as PG, 14A or Restricted.... [T]he agency brought in $2.2 million in revenue, but ran a shortfall of $130,000 ... 'primarily due to the 20 per cent decrease in minutes viewed for English/French language films; and 35 per cent decrease in minutes viewed for adult sex films,' the agency's 2017-18 annual report said.
"A spokesperson for Government and Consumer Services Lisa Thompson confirmed Friday the agency is being scrapped, with a 'rapidly changing film market' as the reason. 'The major shift to digital platforms and streaming services has significantly changed viewers' behaviour and impacted the OFA's business and revenues, making it unsustainable,' said Thompson's spokesperson in an email to CBC News."
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-film-authority-1.5300584
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September 27, 2019 - "The Ford government is dissolving the independent agency responsible for classifying films screened in Ontario movie theatres. The Ontario Film Authority (OFA) will no longer issue film ratings ... according to a Ministry of Government and Consumer Services memo obtained by CBC News.
"'The Ontario Film Authority will be winding down its operations and the ministry will look to the industry to consult on ways to better reflect today's film market,' says the memo from Michele Sanborn, the assistant deputy minister.
"In the short term, says the memo, films screened in Ontario theatres must use the rating issued by British Columbia's film classification body. Longer-term changes are expected next spring. Dissolving the OFA will save the industry $1.5 million to $2 million a year in licensing and classification costs, according to the memo.
"Films that go straight online and are never shown in cinemas don't require a rating from the OFA. The trend toward streaming means the agency approved 1,000 fewer films in 2018-19 compared with the previous year.
"The OFA was designed to operate on a cost-recovery basis, charging filmmakers fees for issuing ratings such as PG, 14A or Restricted.... [T]he agency brought in $2.2 million in revenue, but ran a shortfall of $130,000 ... 'primarily due to the 20 per cent decrease in minutes viewed for English/French language films; and 35 per cent decrease in minutes viewed for adult sex films,' the agency's 2017-18 annual report said.
"A spokesperson for Government and Consumer Services Lisa Thompson confirmed Friday the agency is being scrapped, with a 'rapidly changing film market' as the reason. 'The major shift to digital platforms and streaming services has significantly changed viewers' behaviour and impacted the OFA's business and revenues, making it unsustainable,' said Thompson's spokesperson in an email to CBC News."
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