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”
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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.