“Heated Rivalry Creators Support Online Streaming Act”

The creators of the popular Canadian TV series Heated Rivalry voiced their support for the Online Streaming Act, which has been flagged by the United States as a trade issue, during a media production conference in Ottawa on Thursday.

Expressing his concerns, show creator Jacob Tierney stated, “Negotiations must proceed, but losing the act would be a significant setback.”

Heated Rivalry has gained worldwide acclaim, initially premiering on Bell Media’s Crave platform before being acquired by HBO Max. The main actors have made appearances at prestigious events like the Golden Globes, U.S. late-night talk shows, and Milan Fashion Week.

This week’s Prime Time media production conference in Ottawa saw a surge of star power due to the show’s presence.

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Tierney argued that requiring major foreign platforms to contribute five percent towards Canadian content is not an unreasonable demand. However, this contribution requirement is currently being contested by large foreign streamers in court.

“We are not making unreasonable demands,” Tierney emphasized.

Another creative force behind Heated Rivalry, Brendan Brady, highlighted the opportunities available to streamers entering the Canadian market.

“We welcome competition in our industry. Embrace the possibilities because it opens the door to create more Heated Rivalries, which is exciting. So, let’s view it as a positive development,” Brady remarked.

The annual industry conference coincides with challenges from global streamers against Canadian content regulations introduced by the CRTC through the Online Streaming Act.

This legislation modernized broadcasting laws to encompass online platforms such as Netflix.