ACTRA Fights for Canadian TV

Why do we need Canadian programming?

ACTRA's decade-long fight to get more Canadian drama back in prime-time is in the final round. Canadian actors are demanding more Canadian programming on our TV. Let's remind Ottawa and the CRTC that big cable and broadcasters don't own the airwaves, we do!

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• savelocaltv
• athena karikanis
• graham abbey
• carlo rota
• crtc

[cammcmaster]

There is an interesting logic of risk that the Canadian Broadcasters use. They buy all the pilots of new american shows that are risky, but rarely take risks adopting Canadian progrmaming; they expect them to be hits automatically.

[gaylewis1]

@winterowinter politics has nothing to do with shitty canadian programming. Who wants to watch dan for mayor when you could have the office? Andrew is entirely correct, shows in canada recycle people, have no fresh ideas, and are terribly boring. Andrew's statement about canadian TV existing because of protectionalism on the part of the government is 100% true.  Shitty TV can't compete, and we shouldn't suck it up and watch absolute garbage out of some misplaced sense of national pride.

[TheCanadianPrairies]

@gaylewis1

Canadian content shouldn't just mean: "Quick, let's throw some assholes on the TV and have it set in some part of Canada and don't bother with the plot. The CRTC only wants it set in Canada. To hell with what it's based on, even if it's a rip off of something American!"

[TheCanadianPrairies]

Why does Canadian television suck? It's because it's all recycled bullshit. Why bother watching the same old boring shit? It's either a rip off of some American program or entirely lazily and haphazardly written to exploit the Canadian content laws we have here. The only truly Canadian program on TV is Hockey Night in Canada.

When you're at adding "Canada" to ripoffs of American game shows and even creating a Canadian Jersey Shore, you REALLY need to look at the surface of things.

[silverstarmidnight]

Omg I love Carlo Rota!

[lakesidepark2112]

We need to promote our own shows. A lot of time we hear about special mini series, movies and tv series after they've aired. And they don't rerun. There's a problem with that.

[CastorGrayson]

He's especially right about The Sopranos quip.

Who needs Sopranos, Dexter, OZ when you have Little Mosque, Corner Gas and Being Emily.

There's a place for those shows it's true...but when it's ALL you have, there's a problem.

[CastorGrayson]

@TheAndrew668 Though I don't agree with the manner you speak it, for the most part this guy is right. He should be a little less of a jerk about it.

[TheAndrew668]

Canadian TV sucks. The actors suck. The shows suck. Who needs the Sopranos, when you could be watching Little Mosque on the Prairie? The only reason Canadian content law exists, is that without it, there would be no Canadian tv. Its nice to see the same actors recycled through series after series. I would rather watch a blank screen than Canadian tv.

[CastorGrayson]

I don't mean to suggest that they copy those shows. I mean they should take chances like that

[CastorGrayson]

@ralpop agreed, but the point is that most Canadian shows are trying to rip off American shows or are completely Canadian content shows. It's time for something original. CBC is the worst offender. CBC has basically the reign that HBO and showtime in the US. Imagine if the CBC took a chance and made shows like Sopranos, Dexter and 6 feet under. Shows that would NEVER be made in Canada.