Canada's online magazine: Politics, entertainment, technology, media, arts, books: backofthebook.ca

Politics, tech, media, culture and more, from a Canadian point-of-view

  • Politics
  • Media
  • Culture
  • Science and Tech
  • Living
  • Arts and Books
  • Features
  • The Video
You are here: Home / Media / Online, and off the radar

Online, and off the radar

09/10/2014 by the editor Leave a Comment

A TV on a computer screenBy Rachelle Stein-Wotten

Watch much Canadian TV? Watch many web series? For most Canadians the answer to both of those questions is most likely, “Not a lot.” So naturally the best way to increase the viewership for both is to fuse them together into one super, unstoppable, non-watched force, right?

Wait . . . that sounds like a bad idea. But not according to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The regulatory body recently released a draft proposal as part of its multi-year Let’s Talk TV plan to alter how it regulates the creation and consumption of TV in this country. It covers a lot of ground — everything from whether Canadians should finally have a chance to watch Super Bowl ads, to being able to pick and choose channels rather than subscribe to a whole package. Included in the spread is the dish the CRTC is most lovingly known for – Canadian content. Yes, the phrase that haunts broadcasters and media executives in their sleep has once again reared its beautifully hideous head and this time the plan is to take it to the Internet.

In specific terms, the CRTC is proposing broadcasters be allowed to count online content as part of their Canadian programming expenditures, which it says would encourage broadcasters to produce more content online. Perhaps, but it could also be an excellent way to shunt CanCon requirements to the dark depths of the Internet and fill TV airwaves with more American programs that attract heftier audiences. And who could blame broadcasters if they did? It would make more sense, and dollars, for their bottom lines, given the pint-sized audiences typically seen for Canadian shows. In its latest (and final) season, CTV’s “The Listener” has averaged just over one million viewers per episode. Compare this to the 4.31 million that tuned in to watch the 2013 season premiere of “The Big Bang Theory,” the highest-rated show in Canada.

The CRTC proposal does nothing to further incentivize broadcasters to produce quality CanCon, or attract audiences. While one-third of Canadians now watch television online (which doesn’t mean one-third exclusively watch content online), the vastness of the Internet’s offerings means the competition to attract eyeballs is even keener than on TV. Given the seemingly minuscule effort that goes into promoting and marketing Canadian shows on television, this Canadian doesn’t have high hopes broadcasters will put any more dollars or energy into promoting online content, either.

The CRTC also doesn’t specify what type of online programming would count towards their CanCon requirements. There’s a big difference between a series of three-minute long webisodes and “House of Cards,” for example. What’s to stop broadcasters from throwing out a few dozen cheaply made web series to satisfy the regulators? Think of the savings.

Anyone wanting to comment on the proposals has until September 19th to go – where else? – online and tell the CRTC what the future of Canadian television should look like. Inevitably, more of it will live on the Internet. But if regulations are to be put in place, let’s at least make sure they benefit those who create and watch Canadian TV, and not just those who pump it out.

Filed Under: Media Tagged With: business, Canada, Canadian television, CRTC, internet, internet television, online media, online video

Subscribe to BoB by e-mail or RSS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Google+
  • Living
  • Politics
  • Media
  • Culture
  • Arts and Books
  • Features
  • The Video
Fire sale sign

Fort McMurray: Shopping time!

By Brady Tighe We’re now officially in the aftermath phase of the northern Alberta wildfire crisis. The fire is long gone, and everyone with a home to return to is back in its … [Read More...]

Nathan Cullen

Electoral reform: Hashtag fresh thinking

By Alison@Creekside The most interesting and innovative idea to come out of the first meeting of the all-party Special Committee on Electoral Reform, or ERRE, was Nathan Cullen's suggestion, … [Read More...]

Trudeau on quantum computing

The Trudeau gush fest is getting old

By Jim Henshaw There have been several bewildered as well as angry accounts coming out of the USA lately about how little media time has been spent covering the Democratic Presidential Primary … [Read More...]

Rick Meyers in Nanaimo Pride Parade

My friend, Rick, at the Pride Parade

By Frank Moher On this dreadful day, I don't want to write about the shootings in Orlando. I want to write about my friend, Rick. Rick lives just outside of Nanaimo, a city of about 80,000, … [Read More...]

Stephen Colbert on Late Night set

Triumph of the drama nerds

By Frank Moher Two drama nerds have recently moved into high profile positions. Before I name them (or perhaps you’ve already guessed who they are; or perhaps you’d like to scroll down and look at … [Read More...]

From “Our Rape Blog”: Shooting the Moon

Originally published on Our Rape Blog, the author's account of the aftermath of a violent sexual assault. By Mary Fraughton Have you ever played Hearts? It’s a card game. For our purposes, … [Read More...]

First Nations defending Lelu Island

The video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”

From Creekside: The B.C. provincial government is trying to green light the construction of a massive LNG terminal on Lelu Island in the Skeena Estuary -- Pacific Northwest LNG, backed by Malaysian … [Read More...]

Google

Follow Us!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

RSS CBC News



Recent Posts

  • Fort McMurray: Shopping time!
  • From “Our Rape Blog”: Shooting the Moon
  • Electoral reform: Hashtag fresh thinking
  • The fish hotel
  • Hatred on an Alberta golf course
  • The video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”
  • My friend, Rick, at the Pride Parade
  • Our selective sympathy
  • The Water Bomber, The Frogman and The Great Canadian Novelist
  • Komagata Maru: The story behind the apology

Tags

9/11 Afghanistan Alberta bad behaviour books British Columbia business Canada Canadian military Canadian politics CBC celebrity computers Conservatives crime environment family film G20 Globe and Mail internet Jason Kenney journalism Justin Trudeau law Liberals Maclean's music National Post NDP newspapers oil sands online media Ontario Quebec RCMP religion sports Stephen Harper television theatre Toronto U.S. Vancouver women

Archives

The Video: Lelu Island: “They will come.”

Pages

  • About
  • Privacy

Copyright © 2023 · News Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in