Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

The Big Picture by Pat Ferns follows the Canadian television producer from a childhood shaped by his family’s move from Winnipeg to England to his return to Canada in 1968, when a chance CBC appointment brings him into national current affairs broadcasting. Ferns learns television during live political coverage at the CBC, then leaves with mentor Dick Nielsen to form Nielsen-Ferns, one of the companies trying to prove that Canadian programs could be made outside the public broadcaster. As the business changes, Ferns helps build Primedia, argues for financing that gives independent producers a fair chance, works with Telefilm Canada and the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and later leads the Banff Television Festival, an Alberta event that brings Canadian producers into contact with international television buyers.

Pat Ferns’s The Big Picture is fascinating and does an excellent job of turning a specialist industry into something a general reader can follow. The writing is relaxed and intelligent, and I love how he explains the independent producer’s problem through the “third envelope” idea: CBC money reserved for programs made by outside companies. That single example makes the funding fights understandable. I also liked the way he uses actual productions as evidence, especially The Newcomers, a drama about immigrants to Canada, because it shows the ambition behind Canadian stories made for television. As one of many people who like watching television, perhaps more than I would admit, what stood out most to me is Ferns making clear that every contract argument is critical, because it always leads back to what Canadian viewers might get to watch. And isn't that the whole point? Readers who enjoy first-hand media history that is personal and comprehensive will adore this.