This is how CTV's Ivan Fecan described the prospect that the CRTC require Canadian broadcasters to spend an equal amount on Canadian programming as they do on foreign (U.S.) shows. CRTC data shows that expenditures by conventional private-sector TV on Canadian content declined in 2007 to $616 million, whereas spending on foreign shows increased 5% to $722-mllion.
“Cataclysmic Risk”
May 15, 2009
Share this post
3 Comments

Law Bytes
Episode 242: Sukesh Kamra on Law Firm Adoption of Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Technologies
byMichael Geist

July 28, 2025
Michael Geist
July 21, 2025
Michael Geist
June 30, 2025
Michael Geist
Search Results placeholder
Recent Posts
Grocery Shopping While Jewish
Privacy Lost: How the Government Deleted Bill C-11’s Key Privacy Principle Just Two Months After Passing it Into Law
Out of Nowhere: TIFF Undermines Artistic Freedom of Expression With Forced Name Change of October 7th Documentary
TIFF Removes October 7th Documentary Film From Schedule Citing Implausible Copyright Clearance Concerns From Hamas Terror Footage
Carney’s Digital Recalibration: How the Government is Trending Away from Justin Trudeau’s Digital Policy
A Canadian who has given up on old media
To quote The Simpsons: “There is no emoticon to express my rage…”
Self-fulfilling prophesy
It is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy that the broadcast networks are making most of their money from airing American shows. If they spent little on producing Canadian content, and relegate those shows to non-primetime hours, do they really expect to make much from the shows that they produce in Canada? I don’t include in this category shows such as Canadian Idol etc, as these are simply Canadian versions of American shows, which in some cases are versions of British shows. Unfortunately these count as CanCon I understand.
Yes, it is self fulfilling. But at the same time, I can sympathize with the frustration of the broadcast networks. They are competing with satellite/cable networks for the same viewers and advertising dollars while operating under wildly different regulations.
Easier solution to the problem is to either have similar Canadian content restrictions on satellite/cable or to introduce a straight fee for broadcasting foreign shows/networks that goes directly to the CBC or National Film Board for creating Canadian media.