I think this has everything to do with advertising sales. Let’s say, I’m Global. I’m concerned about the distribution of 24 over iTunes because it MAY have an impact on viewership which may in-turn adversely affect my advertising revenue. If that is impacted, I’m not making as much money and also should be paying less to FOX to distribute the show because the ad revenue is less. This is a win-win for FOX. I’m not sure the CRTC can do anything about this, but maybe I’m completely wrong.

I can understand the HD 720p comment. I’d contact Rogers about that and the CRTC and complain, pointing out you’re an early adopter, and paying good money for content that is definitely sub-par.

The ad thing really isn’t a big deal though, because without the ad revenue that global pulls in, there would be no global. There would be no nightly newscast or regional anything. It would all be American.

The big problem is that the system is old and out of date, and we’re seeing the growing pains of this now. Companies need to see where their streams of revenue are going to come from. There needs to be advertising, as this seems to be the only way to ensure a profit, since pirating any type of content is much too easy.

The CRTC has some very, very questionable rules and regulations, but without the CRTC in place, 99.99% of all our television content would be American. I’d rather live with the ads and nasty interlaced video if it means we still get some Canadian content.

As an avid Torrent user, there’s no way I’ll pay $1+ per show, when I’m paying approx $2/day to watch 24/7 Television programming. Especially considering that I can’t burn and watch the shows on my TV. Instead, Apple forces me to watch the show, via a set top box. that costs $350.00 cdn.

I don’t know if the CRTC policies lead to piracy, but I at the same time I don’t think they create an environment that’s great for consumers or the industry.

Both of you have made some great points here and answered or at least helped enlighten me on a lot of topics.

I just have one “demi-complaint”
Jonathan, you said “Hey Craig, yeah maybe I should contact Rogers and the CRTC with my resolution complaint. I haven’t yet because I’m just not sure that it wouldn’t fall on deaf ears.”

I think is a terrible way to look at it. you wont know whether it will fall on deaf ears or not until you send the complaint. without sending the complaint your getting exactly the same result as if your comment did fall on deaf ears.

I feel that the more we send correspondence (complaints) to entities like the CRTC the more likely they are to eventually listen. if nobody ever complains then we are sure to have no resolution of the problem whatsoever.

Again, i think everything else you said was great and very interesting.

While there’s nothing I like better than ripping into the CRTC (except maybe ripping into the CBC), I feel Canadian content creators/owners/distributors themselves are also to blame. They need to be ones pushing the CRTC (and maybe they’re trying, who knows?) to be better and more competitive. Our system in this country just flat out does not work.

Take this evening for example. CBS is running Survivor tonight (Wednesday) instead of the regular Thursday slot, due to basketball or something. But wait a minute, Global runs Survivor on Thursdays…Bones and Prison Break are on Wednesdays…what’s Global gonna do?! Survivor is no good a day later, due to co-worker induced spoilers, but if they bump their regular programming to match CBS tonight, then they’ll lose viewers for tomorrow nights’ regular shows, people who tune in expecting Survior, and those expecting a day-late Bones or House or whatever Global bought up at the big conventions down south. Also, they likely won’t have prepared any promos this past week telling people when to find their shows, since we don’t seem to produce episode specific promos in Canada. Blah, makes my skin crawl.

If there was any thinking, internet-savvy people in higher up positions, then I’d be able to launch iTunes, browse to the CTV section of the Canadian iTunes Store, and buy, download and watch Degrassi, Corner Gas and Robson Arms (If I wanted to, just for example). Also, I could browse to the Movie section and choose from a wide variety of Canadian films, most of which people have never heard of, because people here also do not understand marketing. They think if they open a film on 25 screens across Canada, then that’s a huge widespread success?! And most never even come out on DVD…rediculous! They spend their entire marketing budget on a few bus boards in downtown Toronto, useless.

Internet Baby! iTunes, and online distribution methods like it, are the way to go, it’s painfully obvious. But I’ll give credit where it’s due, CTV does manage to stream (Windows Media…yuck) shows on their site, and I visit TSN Broadband every day during the hockey season (especially since I don’t get TSN on my cable box, cause I’d HAVE TO subscribe to the analog tier in order to get the HD feed…the main reason I hate the CRTC).

Where was I…blinded by my own rage here. Oh yes, the CRTC. As luck would have it, they are up for a review this year, and I’m praying the Conservatives will blow them up but good. This is the only way to save Canadian content providers: not by propping them up with ‘blood money’ made from second-rate simulcasting of US shows and running the same Tim Horton’s and Subway ad every single break, sometimes the same ad back to back. No, but to challenge them to find new avenues to get their content to the people who want it the most.

I also prefer to watch the US feed of 24. Global’s feed removes not only the US HD ads, which I prefer over the Canadian low-def poorly lit slap-stick (even though I mostly fast forward everything anyways), but they also remove the pre-show promos voiced by Big Voice Guy, Don LaFontaine…plus, they also shove their cheap looking ‘Viewer Discretion’ warnings into every commerical break. Bah, who needs it, I’ll just watch it on the West Coast feed, which thankfully is not simulcrapsted.

But wait, if we Canadians watch all our favourite US shows on US networks, won’t that kill Canadian advertising, which Canadian networks use to fund new Canadian shows? Well, no, I don’t really think so. The fact is, a good show is a good show…I don’t care where it comes from (My favourite show is the British “The Office”, for example). Let’s look at Corner Gas. They’ve been averaging 1.6 million viewers, making it one of the highest rated Canadian shows. You think people are watching it for the Subway ads?!!??! Nope.

Advertising during a TV show is an outdated model. It’s also expensive, that’s why so few do it well. I know I would jump at the chance to sell my show direct (via iTunes, or other online method) to my fans! That’s the pool of opportunity Canadian content providers need to dive headfirst into. You think Avril Lavigne gives a damn if her songs are played on Canadian radio?! No, but I’ll bet she’s interested in seeing those iTunes sales numbers!!! Hence all the bonus content you’re finding on iTunes music these days…free music videos, alternate mixes, PDFs of lyrics and art, and concert tickets, etc.

Everything is a marketing opportunity, if people use their heads.

I think my point a minute ago was supposed to be, if Canadian broadcasters would quit spending all their money on licencing US content, and instead develop their own shows, we would start to see higher quality Canadian content, and more of it. People don’t care where content comes from, they’ll watch it if it’s good and they like it. We’re so protective in Canada, but at some point you have to just worry about playing your own game, not worry what the other team is doing…sorry, watching the Leafs trying to get into the playoffs these past weeks is wearing me down. ;)

The government already has the Canadian Television Fund, which all the cable companies pay into to fund home grown programming. But then when the show is made, they bury it against Hockey Night in Canada, instead of running them in decent timeslots against, dare I say it, American shows. America churns out the same percentage of crap as we do, don’t worry. I say it’s time to rise to the challenge. But bottom line, nothing will get watched if you don’t market it…put out the pilot on iTunes (or the show’s own web site), stuff like that.

Anyway, broadcasting may not be completely dead just yet (live sports for example), and ads will always be around. Either we buy the shows outright (TV on DVD, iTunes), or get them free, but with ads. I would love to see more Canadians take advantage of the freedom of the Internet. Cut out the middle man, in this case, the dinosaurs at the CRTC and cable companies, and sell direct to your audience.

The Apple TV will hopefully provide the missing link for many people to send digital content to their living room. I think it’s pretty cool, although I have a lot content not in iTunes which may not play, and I already have my iMac hooked to my HDTV with a 20ft DVI cable anyways.

Thanks for your time, I didn’t intend to write this much, but my blood just boils when I think of all the content we’re “not allowed” to get in this country. And when I think of all the content we should be making on our own, but we’re too worried about CSI and Law & Order. On the other hand, there’s plenty of hockey to watch! Course, hockey has it’s own regional ridiculousness, try being a Leafs fan outside of “Leafs Nation”…

Bottom line, Canadians should be all over iTunes…buyers and sellers alike. Here’s hoping those screenshots from the new iTunes are indeed signs of things to come, sooner the better!

Also, I read an article earlier today about how all the best Canadian writers go South to write for US shows. Maybe if we produced more shows here, some of them might stay? We have plenty of talent, just look at our roster of world famous comic actors.

All this being said, I myself have not yet sent a letter to the CRTC, which is pretty lame of me, I just haven’t made the time, but I will. Here’s some decent contact info, looks like they have fancy new forms and everything:

http://support.crtc.gc.ca/CRTCSubmissionMU/forms/main.aspx?lang=e

Might I recommend the “Complaints and Inquiries” button? :) I’m gonna tell them I really don’t approve of simulcasting…let me watch American shows the American way, and I’ll watch Canadian shows the Canadian way, whatever that ends up being. I’m paying the Canadian cable company to get the US networks, I fail to see where it says I don’t get to watch them in their entirety!

The CRTC site says your complaint will be responded to within 10 business days, so they do read them. I did send an email to TSN last week thanking them for TSN Broadband, but I also asked them why doesn’t it work in Safari yet, etc. Somebody will read it, and that’s enough to make it worth it. It feels better to get it off your chest.

Alright, better go, don’t wanna hog the blog. Thanks for creating discussion with your post. I made a similar post on my blog in September 2006, please check it out (although some of it’s questions have since been answered):

http://oddyoh.blogspot.com/2006/09/no-itunes-tv-shows-in-canada-make.html#links

I’m going to link to your entry, gotta spread the word as far as we can. One more thing, a good site for more information on all things Canadian Production-related: http://www.playbackmag.com/

If Apple made a deal to distribute a good range of CBC content through iTunes, I’d cancel my crappy cable and by an Apple TV tomorrow. I bet a lot of other Canadians would too, and that would apply some pressure to get the ball rolling on deals with the other networks too (I’d be happy with CBC and BBC).

I don’t at all think it’s a problem with Apple, or of it is, they’re the very least to blame. I’m sort of confused by why this online form of content delivery really must respect international borders in the first place? There has GOT to be a loop-hole blanket solution.

I WANT to give away my money for this stuff but there are no takers. I know of work-arounds, but they seem shady and I want to view stuff without worrying about getting in crap by the CRTC thugs or whomever.

Like if I go in to the states, I’m pretty sure I could legally acquire US content - and then come home and it’d still be all legit - so what? Does that mean that I need to go on a virtual trip to the US to bypass this retarded red-tape? Someone out there, start up a proxy service where by you can go on virtual vacation - you get a real world “interface” (address) to use while on vacation and can access material from where you’ve gone as though you’re there - via proxy.

And seriously, if I could be put in a room with the dorks that are guarding these road-blocks, I’d love to give them a stern palm-on-the-forehead slap.

(*screams*)

That is all.

CRTC isn’t the only factor: it’s Rogers Cable. Rogers was able to convince the CRTC to limit satellite broadcasters Star Choice and ExpressVu to only carrying content that was available on regular cable as well – which in turn has led them to carrying only channels that Rogers DOESN’T have an exclusive contract for.

Let me tell you: as a Star Choice subscriber, there was nothing more annoying than seeing ads for Cool-TV every program and knowing that Rogers would never allow it on your provider.

There’s only ONE company in Canada that can get the TV and movies on for us, and that’s Alliance Atlantis. Alliance is coproducer of CSI, and distributor for major studio films up here (like New Line’s Lord Of The Rings). In fact, the Canadian trailer for The Golden Compass is different than the official trailer because it states that Alliance is presenting the film instead of its actual producers/distributors.

CBC is already offering programming on its website – including full episodes of Doctor Who – so it’s quite probable that they’d follow suit. CTV, because it carries CSI and other Alliance Atlantis shows, would follow with their own, since they too have their own TV streaming on their website.

It would be really nice for Apple to start offering TV programs and movies here in Canada like they just got in the UK – ESPECIALLY as the new season is about to begin in a few weeks – but, quite frankly, Canada doesn’t seem to be a priority.

UNLESS, of course, they’ll be connecting the Canadian store changes to the arrival of the iPhone in October, since iPhones are boasting their TV store and YouTube connections as well.

also it could be a hint that if you click on the podcasts thingy in the music store, the tv show and movie categories come up….

There are 2 major things you need to know on this topic that most people do not yet know.

1) The CRTC states that all content available on television or radio must be minimum 30% Canadian or more. iTunes is probably having difficulty reaching that content requirement.

2) Rumour has it that by 2009 the CRTC will be getting rid of this requirement and lifting any other barrier that would prevent the release of TV shows and movies on iTunes or other internet television service.

Based on the information above which I have pieced together by other rumours, and I know your looking for a better answer, Canada SHOULD have television and movies content on iTunes in 2009 or sooner.

Hurry up and wait.

Time to get a US credit card with a US address. If you have a friend, it’s not that hard. Presto - you’re buying US content from the US iTunes store.

That’s the silly thing about this whole CRTC protectionist thing. We don’t live in a world where TV is broadcast over the air anymore. Things are digital and there are no borders! Time for the CRTC to get with the times.