Hmmm.
This is interesting, CITS has produced four slick ads. They are similar to the parental control ads produced in the US bemoaning TV content.
That isn’t the most interesting part by far. Not even close.
CITS has had an interesting history which I’ll get to, but let’s follow this marketing.
What is interesting is the new ‘charity’ called CITS Media Resources Organization as we click through. Â I’m using the word charity in quotes because I called Revenue Canada.
I’ll get to that below, I also called the CRTC.
Let’s follow the offered links and see what is going on.
After watching the ads at Hope for TV (Whois – registered September 17, 2009 to Crossroads Christian Television) we land with a click on the Hope for TV FAQ page above. The page discusses parental fears, media addiction, dearth of choices and what parents and churches can do to have HOPE. The Hope for TV solicitation campaign is using 1995 data from The Canadian Heritage Department.
CTS hired a new PR firm this summer. Group of Seven Media started working with Crossroads Christian Television September 1, 2009. Clicking through…
We’ve clicked to the heart of Hope for TV, the parent company CTS (Crossroads Television System) and a plea for partners. You. Me. CTS is asking viewers to donate. Is this business permitted to ask for money? We’ll get to that.
From 4 ads about TV and video violence, to CTS, to a brochure, Â an email donation address and a CTS donation form page. Let’s click.
Okay. Now, about that call to Revenue Canada Charities. I made two calls. The first was to ask about CITS Media Research Organization, since I can’t find them listed in the Charities directorate online. The help desk at Rev Can couldn’t find CITS Media Research Organization either. I asked how long it takes to register a charity. I was told want to be charities are informed it takes about 6 months after receipt of a completed form for official status.
Since CITS Media Research Organization wasn’t found in the main data base I asked if applying groups are permitted to advertise as a charity.
No.
Doesn’t matter what a group expects to happen, if they do not have approval from Rev Can and their registration BN number they are not permitted to advertise or soliciate. Makes sense to me.
What’s going on?
I called Rev Can Charities back and asked if Hope for TV was registered as a charity, thinking there might be a sub-name or company for CITS Media Research Organizations or CTS I’m not cluing into.
No.
I also asked Rev Can Charities if they could tell me who the board of directors for CITS Media Research Organization is.
No.
Not until a tax return is filed. No tax return can be filed until there is a charity to file it. See the conundrum?
Here’s where BDBO readers can help.
I think CTS has every right to respond to this apparent confusion.
I also think television viewers in Canada who receive CTS on cable and satellite have a right to know why the company is soliciting viewers for money and why the claimed charity isn’t showing up on regulatory radar. Share your information in the comments section.
1) I’ve written CITS Media Research Organization. I do not have a long distance package on my phone and my mic on my computer is busted so Skype isn’t working. It’s time for readers in the 905 area code to go from clicking to dialing if you’d care to help out.
If you are in Edmonton – CKES or Calgary – CKCS, ring up the affiliates. If you are directed to Burlington CTS head office, by all means pop into the comments and let us know.
2) Would readers in the GTA Hamilton/Burlington 905 area be willing to call CTS and ask what you think needs to be asked?
3) Once we here at BDBO receive the information from CTS you gathered about (“CITS Media Research Organization is a charity” ) and your information you’ve gathered is in the comments section, the next steps will be clearer.
Will complaints need to be filed with Rev Can Charities?
While readers get to work, I’ll dig through CTS/CRTC information and post background on Crossroads Christian Television. Since we all pay to receive CTS on our satellite and cable packages, this is our concern.
What is going on here?
Update: The two men listed as heading this charity are Jack Hawkins and Iner Smith. Hawkins contact phone # is in the 905 area and Smith’s # is the 519 area. See the comments below, thanks everyone; if CTS or the affiliates are listed as a business in Alberta and Ontario, CTS can ask for donations and the CRA is not relevant. Since the brochure says tax receipts will be issued end of year, this ‘charity’ has to be registered somewhere. It would be helpful if CTS was forthcoming and responded. If you have ideas or information, please share it.
Another update: I queried The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council since CTS (CITS, CKCS, CKES) is a member in good standing. Hope for TV ads have not yet been broadcast that I’m aware of, my question was – does CITS Media Research/Resources Organization fall under their mandate?
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) has received your correspondence concerning advertising by CITS Media Research Organization.
The CBSC cannot deal with complaints about internet content, even if that content is related to a CBSC broadcaster member station. The Codes that the CBSC administers apply only to content broadcast on traditional radio or television. Currently in Canada there is no organization that regulates internet content.
Unfortunately, therefore, we cannot take any further action with respect to your complaint. Aside from this fact, it seems that your concerns fall into larger legal questions which are far outside our mandate in any case.
We have nevertheless forwarded your correspondence to CITS-TV for their information.
BDBO, I’m quite certain that if you are registered provincially as a Not for Profit or a religious society (or a sports association for that matter) You are absolutely permitted to not only call yourself a charity, but to solicit for donations.
I sit on the boards of 2 organizations, and we aren’t registered with CRA, but still solicit donations, and no one has a problem with this, least of all CRA.
What you cannot do without completing the application to become a registered charity, through CRA’s Charitable Directorate, is to write someone an income tax receipt. No Business Number (it’s called that for Charities too), no tax receipt.
Perhaps the better question would be to ask if they are registered provincially in Alberta (Done through a search on Alberta’s Corporate Registry, provided for a fee at a registry agent), or if they are registered in another province.
Thanks Mrs. Spit!
CRTC CTS licence for Calgary/Edmonton
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2007/db2007-167.htm
People have to pay to find out if CTS is registered in Alberta? How much?
Okay. That’s just to register.
Services Alberta – http://www.servicealberta.gov.ab.ca/1029.cfm
Maybe the question becomes are regulations being bypassed by using the Burlington call letters (CITS)?
What I don’t understand is that CTS TV is a commercial
operation. It has programs that have commercials,
programs such as the situation comedies and family
dramatic series like Little House on the Prairie.
It also has religious programs that are actually
their own commercials. Programs like Listen Up!,
James Robinson, Benny Hinn, Plumbline and
fundraising broadcasts for various endeavours.
I believe that the latter programs are their own commercials
in that they pay for the air time for their broadcast.
In other words, Benny Hinn is paying CTS TV money
to put him on the air.
Likewise, fundraising for charities and other worthy
endeavours are paying for their own airtime.
If these situations are the reality, then why does the
station need to ask the public for money? Shouldn’t
it be a profitable or a break-even proposition?
That’s the business case as I understand it.
Perhaps someone would be kind enough to point out
the errors in my assumptions and help me understand
exactly why a commercial venture like this needs charitable
status when it’s broadcasting only to a small market
rather than a broader market like TV Ontario or the
PBS stations in the US.
What I’d like to also know is why is the entire effort
being done in such a back-stairs fashion. Why don’t
they just come out and say they’re in dire financial
straits?
Why the secrecy and the near-dissembling?
Anybody?
I think you mean 905, not 705. (the second time)
—
People tend to gravitate to the business model they know best. CTS may be established commercially, but it’s the non-profit model that staffers in that building are more comfortable working with. When you need money, you only have to ask!
An adjunct charity would give them the best of both worlds. They could continue to broadcast family-oriented and faith-focused programming with commercial and airtime-sales revenues, but also accept (and receipt) donations from people who are supportive of family-oriented and faith-focused television, and as long as they can justify expenditures, that is, use that money to advance the aims of CTS and stations like it. Especially so if this produces new donors who would support this but not the more religious, Evangelical, Charismatic emphasis of many CTS programmers, or the “100 Huntley” show itself.
There is a difference between provincial non-profits and federal charities, but no matter how you slice it, this seems to be a tacit admission that the commercial side of things at CTS isn’t working, and another revenue stream is needed. Otherwise, why bother? (And why now?)
But if people really want to support and encourage “the production and co-production of religious and educational media programming,” they might want to consider donating to another more established charity also based in Burlington, Ontario.
It’s called Crossroads Christian Communications. See the duplication? This wheel has already been invented.
Hi Torontonian:
I’m as in the dark as you are and appreciate Mrs. Spit response.
CITS was registered with the municipality of Hamilton in 1998. (not Burlington)
Is CTS registered in Alberta and/or Ontario?
We need to find out.
If CTS solicites donations in Alberta using CITS Media Research Organization commercials, it is my understanding the company has to be registered in the province, as per Mrs. Spit’s comment.
The brochure states: “Donations will be receipted at the end of the year.”
Under what authority does CTS say CITS Media Research Organization is a charity?
CITS is licenced to transmit in Hamilton, repeaters CITS-TV 1 in Ottawa and CITS-TV 2 in London Ontario.
CTS is not a federal charity as you clearly point out Torontonian, it is a business licenced to broadcast until August 2010.
“CITS Media Resources Organization. I am part of CTS.”
The cause/mission is to”produce, aquire, promote,encourage production.”
Huh?
Is the company saying viewers will have to donate for the business to fulfill the CRTC mandate?
Good questions Torontonians. I hope others weigh in.
1. Why does the station need to ask the public for money?
2. Shouldn’t it be a profitable or a break-even proposition?
3. Why don’t they just come out and say they’re in dire financial
straits?
4. Why the secrecy and the near-dissembling?
Anyone?
Thanks Paul, fixed. I have a math dyslexia and numbers get mixed up.
Point taken, why give to CTS if you can give to Crossroads Christian Communications?
The marketing makes it sound like there are no V-chips and that parents are helpless.
Given family friendly, faith based choices (particularly on satellite) the approach is odd.
Is the fan base really there?
Are Huntley fans going to know or care about the difference?
Do you know what shows the CTS library holds?
Do you know if CTS is hurting financially?
Do you have ideas of where this ‘charity’ is registered?
Just guessing, but is it possible they want this new source of revenue to replace the on-air fund-raising drives? (They tend to have a degrading appearance of begging which might erode the ‘professional’ image they want to project?) Or maybe they want to tap into the secular donor market, since CITS Media Research Organization doesn’t seem so overtly faith-based? Or all of the above?
No, you got me on the last question. I did a senior year thesis at U of T on nonprofit organizations, and it’s amazing how little I now remember. Anyway, I think that’s why people read your blog. You take the time to do the homework most of us don’t have time to do.
Do I know that CTS is hurting? No, that was pure speculation on my part, but I’m sticking to my “Why This?” and “Why Now?” reasoning. Otherwise why get up in the morning and say, “I think we’ll start another donations-based organization.”"?? Yeah. That’s what’s we need right now. Especially when, for all intents and purposes, you already have one.
But maybe it’s that one, i.e. Crossroads, not CTS that is at the heart of the problem. Maybe they feel the Evangelical community is ‘tapped out’ but a broader community might be coaxed into giving if the entity seems less dogmatic; less ‘religious.’
And education is a good fit. I turn on my car radio and listen to K-LOVE, a network of over 100 stations that broadcasts Christian music commercial free. But the heart of K-LOVE is known as the “Educational Media Foundation.” Educational? Apparently that convenient name has helped them obtain dozens of low-power FM frequencies — or at least avoid having them contested — because nobody’s going to stand in the way of an educational radio station, right? The soccer moms who like praise and worship may contribute $25 a month to the next radio-thon, but the big spenders will probably step up big time to contribute to an educational charity. Especially if they never connect the dots.
Here in Ontario we already have TWO public broadcasters; federal (CBC — not to mention the French version) and provincial (TVO — not to mention its counterpart en francais, TFO) both of which are at times engaging in ‘educational’ programming. I don’t know how things are where you live, but we also have in Ontario a significant number of Canadians donating to PBS and NPR. So the question then becomes what fresh inroads can you make at the broadcast level; and what new donors can you attract when TVO/TFO and PBS/NPR are already attracting educational TV dollars?
Back to CTS for a minute: I also wonder how many stations we can have tripping over themselves to air the same “classic TV” programs of my youth. I’m getting a new digital channel, sidebanded to a broadcast signal out of Buffalo called RTV or Retro Television. Their programs are true classics, but as each successive generation dies off, this type of thing has limited appeal. Frankly, I’ve never watched more than a couple of minutes of RTV with any click of the remote.
Bottom line: The future of television is not the big screen at all. It’s the small screen I’m staring at as I type this. YouTube — and all its clones — changed all the rules. That’s the market you need to be integrating with. But first you need a bunch of 20-somethings and 30-somethings who understand the new paradigms to help guide the way. You can’t do it when you’re a dinosaur or an old boys club. I may like my PC, but I think you need to listen to the Macs to survive.
Or you can take the fallback position and just ask more people to give you money.
Therese:
Does CTS hold fund raisers?
Not going to lie, I don`t watch it.
BeneD: Actually, not that I have seen – sorry, I got my wires crossed – I was equating 100 Huntley St. with CTS and had in mind their on-air fund-raising drives. CTS certainly does accept donations however, and has a page on their website dedicated to the “Cause”.
I do get a sense that this new organization is dedicated to providing clean entertainments for the masses aside from the preaching of the gospel, and is intended to be distanced from evangelicalism. If so, that speaks for itself, sadly from my point of view, and is unfortunately representative of the direction the majority of the evangelical church is taking from what I can see. Well-meaning perhaps, but misguided IMO – it’s not what the Lord commissioned the church for. Without being hidden in Christ, even ‘good’ people who live according to the ’10 Commandments’ and who watch good clean television will not escape hell and judgment. In fact, when people have a sense that they are righteous already, they are blinded to their true condition and it actually is a roadblock to repentance and coming to the Saviour. “There is none good, no not one…” “All our righteousness is as filthy rags…”
I don’t believe we are meant to become comfortable in our own skin – we are meant to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, and with “a broken and contrite spirit”, which the Lord so graciously promises He will not despise. Paul says in 2 Cor. 5 …”For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened……Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord…..” The creators of CITS Media may actually inadvertently help to lull people into becoming more at home in their body instead of helping them to see their true state and the danger they are in.
Well BD, once again you are the Sherlock Holmes of the blogging world.
What is it about Crossroads that makes the average person’s instinctive hackles rise?
Is it because CITS et al “are not of this world” and thus act like they are not accountable?
Is it arrogance? Greed? Desperation?
It doesn’t seem to matter what kind of face they present to the world, it just ‘feels’ wrong. I am not speaking from experience, all I know of Crossroads is the impression of defensive, angry white men. Not quite sure why, it’s just the only clip I ever saw. The rest just doesn’t hold my interest for more than a few seconds.
Kudos for trying so hard to be fair and get the facts out.
Is Californication going to be airing on CTS anytime soon?
Hi Marlboro Man:
You’d have to write the programming people at CTS and ask.
rsheppard (at) ctstv (dot) com
Having a bad day Cricket?
‘angry white men’ doesn’t get us any closer to understanding how CTS is able to advertise this new charity.
Perhaps you are thinking about 100 Huntley Street which runs on CTS.
CTS is a television system ( a few stations short of a network) which share common ownership, branding, and programming. It’s a corporation, with shareholders who expect fair return for their investment.
Crossroads (either the business or charity) are not open and transparent, as a private company CTS has little reason to be. Having said that, as you can see, you aren’t the only person irritated with this company begging for money.
How do you know CTS has shareholders?
Hi Chris:
From a former employee:
“CTS, like other TV Stations sells advertisement and has people who invest money at a fair rate of interest.”
From a letter to ChristianWeek June 24, 2009
http://www.christianweek.org/letters.php
“As an investor in Crossroads Television System and a strong supporter of Crossorads Ministries, I felt very satisfied with the letter I received from David Mainse…
Has CTS told me this? No.
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Here’s the Canadian Charities listing for CROSSROADS CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
http://tinyurl.com/ycfubjq
It’s also interesting that they get money from the federal govt
2008…$ 359,671
They also gave $ 827,500 to Mission of Mercy in Edmonton. Mission of Mercy, however, only reports receiving $ 6,242 from other registered charities, although they do report “other gifts” at $ 863,336. (2008 return)
Bene,
Your query back at #10 about holding fundraisers.
I’ve noticed that ListenUp hostess Lorna Dueck is
asking for donations to her program.
After several years being an apparently successful
program, she is now needing to ask for donations.
On another note. NiteLite Live does not answer
the e-mail I sent them several weeks ago about
the whereabouts of Paul Willoughby.
So, it looks as though the independent program
is going broke and that the overnight listening
phone-in doesn’t care enough to reply to
simple–and civil–requests from the viewers.
What does that tell us about the whole operation, now?
Torontonian:
I think they are hurting economically. I think the Mainse brothers being finders in a ponzi scheme has done considerable damage, and not keeping up information on webpages, doing way too many re-runs, not responding to viewer queries and not announcing the placement of a new CEO/board chair has not helped Crossroads or CTS.
I think neglect, what appears to be an unauthorized charity at CTS and the lack of honest communication with viewers who are probably giving closer to home factor in. Promises of ‘new’ programming after internal events in the organization this year we don’t know about, but certainly sense and are being sensed by fans don’t appear to bode well for the future.
Top down ‘trust us’ messages are not enough to sustain a loyal viewer base, just look at the Facebook Page or the YouTube channel.
Leon Fontaine, a charismatic celebrity one man show at a Winnipeg mega church moving into the CEO slot at The Miracle Channel, duplicated programming by both organizations has split what was one the dominating viewership of 100 Huntley and Crossroads.
We aren’t being told, consumers and fans are fickle, they’ll fill in the gaps they see with speculation and moving on.
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I hear many requests from time on public stations, both radio and TV, and have opted not to “donate” to them. I do donate to a number of organizations and ask them to be accountable, and they are. If CTS, Huntley Street, etc, are not getting my dollar, why should I be worried ?? I supported the Terry Fox Run for years until they told me that 85% of their income is used to support administration, the Shriners until they told me their administration costs are 92% per year. I don’t know what the organizations that you are in a flap about chalk up to administration. As for me, I am in Haiti for six months helping to rebuild broken homes, ALL at my cost and don’t give a rat’s pajama about your pet peeves right now.