Throwing The Baby Out With The Bathwater II
Last April I posted a blog entry on why I think it is rather shortsighted to consider cutting funding to the CBC and Radio-Canada. But apparently the conservatives are actually trying to make this policy on behest of media conglomerates that refused to pick up the programming I do watch.
Yes, we’re listening to a media conglomerate whose news network failed because of bad ratings in Canada, who claim to be speaking for Canadian taxpayers. And we’re all supposed to believe the programming CBC and Radio-Canada viewers watch will be automatically picked up by other networks, when the media conglomerate in question did not.
I would be watching this programming on other Canadian networks, had they purchased their rights. But all of these private networks are cutting back to afford buying the rights to foreign programming so it makes no sense to axe public broadcasting in Canada.
It doesn’t appear to matter that very little of CBC and Radio Canada’s programming is political in nature. Cultural programming is to be considered collateral damage thanks to foreign sentiments and incredulity in regards to the arts in Canada.
They think government funding is a means to get their foot in the door to impose their appeal to bias fallacy based narratives, which is what their failed news network pushed since 2011 and personalities from this network now do with impunity online.
If this wasn’t politically motivated they wouldn’t be so dismissive towards CBC and Radio-Canada’s non-political programming. But their snide commentaries drip with disdain against the other major political parties and they’re clearly doing all of this to poach viewers from a foreign network that is currently under review at the CRTC for promoting hatred and violence.
They downplay government funding for the other networks and the fact that their former network begged the CRTC for “must carry status” in 2013. And although some claim they want all funding to stop, I suspect the gap caused by this lack of funding would result in heavy lobbying for pharmaceutical advertising in Canada, and/or possibly food and beverage advertising targeting children.
In the end, this all comes off as vindictive and disingenuous. And I am not interested in the programming provided by the media conglomerate form which the complaints originate, so I will oppose their defunding scheme.
Throwing The Baby Out With The Bathwater
Growing up in rural New Brunswick in the 70s and 80s, I was only able to watch five television stations, three of which were publicly funded; The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and the francophone networks Radio-Canada and Télé-Québec. And these provided many more cultural programs than the other networks though-out my early life.
I first watched educational programming in both languages on those stations, like Mr.Dressup, The Friendly Giant and Bobinot. And then in my teens I watched programs like Video Hits and Good Rockin’ Tonight, well before Much Music and Musique Plus had gone on air on cable.
After moving to the Ottawa-Gatineau area with my family, I still watched these networks regularly, mainly for consumer programming for young adults like Street Cents and then later Marketplace, La Facture and L’épicerie. And very little of the above mentioned programming was matched by the commercial stations in Canada, nor were dramas like The Beachcommers, Degrassi Jr. High and Murdock’s Mysteries or nature documentary series like The Nature of Things and Découverte or satirical news programs like This Hour has 22 Minutes, The Rick Mercer Report and Infoman.
Internationally renown comedies like The Kids In The Hall, The Red Green Show, Kim’s Covenience, Shitt’s Creek and Un Gars/Une Fille were produced and aired on the CBC or Radio-Canada. And although the commercial networks had one or two international hits, they were simply more interested in providing American content because it brought in the advertisement revenue, which is fine. But where’s the latest Corner Gas or Trailer Park Boys?
When it comes to radio, very few stations aired comedy programming like Air Farce, classical music and jazz like the CBC and Radio Canada in rural Canada, a large percentage of which was Canadian.
The very first concert I attended was classical pianist André Gagnon, whose music was introduced to my family via Radio-Canada. And like CBC Records and Les Disques SRC, CBC Music and ICI Musique provide classical music and other forms of music to Canadians, some of which still does not air on commercial radio outside of the larger cities in Canada.
Yes, I did manage to listen to francophone pop and rock in areas where french was quite prominent but are these many commercial television networks and radio stations that operate in that language outside of the provinces of Quebec, Manitoba and New Brunswick? Are we seriously going to defund this major cultural institution over a minute amount of political commentary?
Let’s face it, only a minority is actively campaigning to throw the baby out with the bathwater. And whenever I discuss the issue with this minority on social media and ask them for examples of an alleged bias, they assert claims that are easily disproved with a Google search of the official sites of these public broadcasters.
It makes no sense for the people of Canada to capitulate our institutions to the foreign interests that failed to introduce Sun News Television to our country. And a neutral and independent commissioner is available to handle all complaints at CBC/Radio-Canada, regardless of the repeated assertions made by the remnants of the aforementioned conservative news network.
It isn’t about nostalgia but preventing the surrender of our media to foreigners that have nothing but negative opinions of this country.
OTA Television Changes Along The Border
Yesterday I received a notice from WPBS-TV, the PBS station based in Watertown NY that broadcasts to Eastern Ontario, that they will be changing over-the-air channels on July 29th, 2019. And apparently several American television stations have already begun transitioning to new channels to free up frequencies for wireless services.
People who use television antennas in southwestern Ontario area have already needed to rescan to find WMYD broadcasts from Detroit on June 1st, 2019 and a new wave of channel changes are expected in July, this transition eventually ending in the summer of 2020.
If you’re getting these stations from cable, satellite or online, you will not see any changes. But if you use a television antenna to get any American station you will need to pay attention to notices by your favourite stations, that will be posted on their official sites and social media feeds for information related to this transition.
Many channels will also start airing notices featuring known personalities from television programs like The Doctors, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, Dr.Phil, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy a month or so before their transition date. And monthly roundups of these transitions are also posted on the official TV Answers Blog, with occasional posts regarding individual channels appearing on TV Answer’s Facebook page.
I’m a bit too deep into Ontario to get American television stations via my antenna but thought people along the border would like to know.
Predictable…
Some of the cable companies have managed to get their way on skinny basic.
Yes, you will be able to get your local channels, the major American networks and the CRTC mandated channels for $25. But depending on your provider you could pay from $4 to $7 for the individual channels you choose extra, causing many to pay as much as they do now by simply choosing five or six extra individual channels.
Some of the providers are also limiting their skinny basic to standard definition, forcing their customer to pay more for the high definition channels. And one has to wonder how much they will charge for the rental of their boxes and extra outlets.
Those getting cable television over the internet don’t fare better either. To watch television they must subscribe to a high speed service and rent or buy modems, which adds to the bottom line. And in the end most will simply be offered an existing package by the customer service representatives, who were asked to downplay skinny basic.
Unfortunately those wishing to cut the cord have also been subjected to off the air signal reductions, requiring outdoor antennas
Vmedia is one of the few IPTV providers to offer their services nation wide but Ontario and Quebec are also serviced by Beanfield, Distributel, Vianet Canada, and Zazeen. And many of these providers are expanding.
Apple TV is also an option, as are streaming serves like Netflix, Crave TV and Shomi, although the streaming services are still catching up on content.
I’m personally waiting for the dust to settle and for my contract with my cable company to expire to investigate my options. But i’m leaning towards cutting the cord if the shenanigans continue.
Changes Coming To Cable
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission has issued a schedule in regards to the implementation of the “skinny basic” and pick-and-pay cable rules.
By March 1st, 2016 cable providers will be required to offer their basic package at $25, which will include the “must carry” status channels. And by December 1st, 2016 cable providers will be required to offer the remainder of their channels individually or in small packages.
I watch mostly my local networks and on occasion the American networks so my cable bill should drop considerably once my contract with Rogers is over. But I am still looking into foregoing cable entirely and going with an external television antenna.
When Much Music, Musique Plus and the other music video stations aired actually musical content it was worth paying a few bucks a month but i’ve had Youtube/Vevo, iTunes and my music video collection for a while now. And the news, weather and other content that was once exclusive to cable are now online.
VMedia are currently offering their skinny basic package of approximately 30 local and American network channels for $17.95 so perhaps we’ll see some deals before the new year. Hopefully.
CRTC Hearings Start Today
The public hearings in regards to television in Canada have started today and will continue for six weeks.
Issues discussed will be basic cable rate maximums, channel packaging and the options to pick and pick individual channels, internet based television broadcasting, and whether off the air television should continue.
Unfortunately I had attempted to “cut the cord” and get my local channels off the air here in Ottawa and failed because of numerous issues caused by the broadcasters themselves, as explained in a previous blog post. But i’m hoping the CTRC will consider continuing off the air television broadcasts and attempt to fix the associated issues.
I’m hoping they will consider moving all digital broadcasts off the VHF band to the UHF band and allow the use of sub-channels, which would allow CTV 1 and CTV 2 to broadcast on one channel, for example. But I get this feeling that the broadcasters are going to try to end off the air television altogether, which would be rather annoying.
Yes, a reduction of basic cable to $20-$30 would be good. But I suspect this will result in some channels being removed from the basic cable line-up, especially now that some of the providers are pushing exclusivity.
What i’d personally like to see is must carry status for music networks that feature Canadian music videos and live performances by indie bands and lesser known acts. And yes, I know these stations have pretty much packed their schedules with “reality programs”. But is an hour or two per day too much to ask for ?
I’m going to keep an eye on this issue for the blog but if you want more details on what’s going on at the CRTC, click here or tune in on CPAC live weekdays at 9AM Eastern.