Canadian TV

Our Heritage Minister launched a full-front attack against Mr. Harper, claiming that without the CRTC we would have never created such big stars as Céline Dion or Shania Twain. I believe that this claim is bogus; it does not reflect the reality of Canadian culture. Shania got her start in Nashville, and Céline is a major international star, who could easily do without the Canadian market (she actually jumped to fame when she appeared in the Eurovision Song Contest, representing Switzerland of all things!). One criticism also revolved around the fact that Canadian TV would have more American content and that we would not see Canadian stories told on TV. In what way would that differ from the situation that we have had for years? Apart from very few Canadian productions, Canadian TV networks fill their schedules with American fare. It is only now, finally, that we are beginning to see more Canadian, and better, productions (Eleventh Hour, Train 48, Corner Gas, etc.). My hope has always been that we could have a TV system like the one they have in the UK. How come the British can have so many domestic productions, when Canadian producers always have to go and beg for money? This cannot be right, something must be wrong. The problem is that most Canadian producers try to do something “artsy-fartsy”: they think, I believe, that this is the only way to make a Canadian film or show. Corner Gas has finally proved to all of us that “artsy-fartsy” is not the way to go. For the first time in a very long time (or ever?), a Canadian show is regularly among the top 15 shows in Canadian TV ratings. And what about our broadcasters? In fact, they are not broadcasters, but “simulcasters”. Simulcasting US shows is not the way to go, for a number of reasons: 1. Most Canadians have access to US networks and actually prefer watching US shows on US channels (because Canadian broadcasters are unreliable: they show one episode one week, pre-empt it the next few weeks and then pick it up again, showing the same episode as the originating US network, effectively leaving out a bunch of episodes that Canadians can only see if they turn to the originating US network. Is it really that hard to just show all the episodes in the proper sequence, as they do in England? Jeez!). 2. Canadian broadcasters are very unreliable (see above). 3. Now that many Canadians have access to digital “time-shifting” channels, they can watch American TV without the “simulcast problems” (the signals of time-shifting channels are not replaced by the signals of Canadian simulcasters). The CRTC has been absolutely inactive and ineffective in ensuring a stronger Canadian TV industry. So, if the CRTC were to be weakened, or even abolished, who would notice?