During the recent AMS fall referendum, 83 per cent of votes cast were against a mandatory fee for Queen’s TV (QTV).

Currently QTV draws revenue, in part, from an annual $3 opt-outable fee. In the Oct. 25 and 26 referendum, QTV placed a question on the ballot that, if passed, would make the opt-outable fee mandatory.

Last year, 30 per cent of students opted out of paying the QTV fee. The fee generated approximately $30,000.

Video Factory, the student-run production component of QTV, brought in approximately $10,000 of revenue.

This year, Video Factory has generated $9,667 in revenue so far. QTV has signed contracts that will amount to $21,070 by the end of the academic year.

Eugene Michasiw, QTV executive producer, said it’s hard to understand why so many people voted against a mandatory fee.

“It’s important to consider that it is very hard to push for a mandatory fee,” Michasiw, ArtSci ’13 said. “QTV is in very much [in] a … transformational stage. Ultimately we’re not sure we’re on a level where we’d be considered for a full mandatory fee.”

Michasiw said QTV had hoped to purchase new film equipment if the referendum question passed.

“It’s nice to have the resources which match the passion of the volunteers,” he said.

Michasiw said it will take a fundamental shift in how the Queen’s community sees QTV in order to convince students that the service is deserving of a mandatory fee.

“Referendums fail, but you keep trying, you keep going at it … I think that it’s only a matter of time, this was one step,” he said.

Currently, other campus media services, like the Journal and CFRC, receive funding through an AMS mandatory student fee.

Michasiw said no money was lost on account of the referendum’s result.

“It might slow down growth a little bit but we’re able to do well with what we have right now,” he said. “Financially, we’re doing absolutely fine.”