The Complaints of Jim Shaw

[dewline]

I am annoyed by Jim Shaw, CEO of Shaw Communications, over something that he's threatening to do to the Canadian Television Fund unless CBC is further starved of funding - via CTF specifically - posthaste.

Mr. Shaw, please cease and desist in this behaviour. Shaw Communications, as far as I can tell, is doing quite nicely as it is. CBC's survival and current levels of funding does not hurt your company irreparably. Your employees are capable of keeping the corporate ship afloat without you making such noises as these. And as a Canadian citizen, a friend to assorted customers of yours, and a CBC viewer and listener, I wish that private broadcasters would kindly fall silent on the subject of the CBC. Their complaints over the fact of its continued existence annoy me. Especially when it succeeds at doing the work that the Broadcasting Act of Canada requires of it.

Comments

[madlycool.livejournal.com]

The CRTC should make companies pay for their licences. In fact, they should punish Shaw by cancelling their licences, and assigning them to another broadcaster.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

No argument.

Any recommendations as to whom the licenses should be reassigned to?

[madlycool.livejournal.com]

They should open bids, and auction them like they do (did?) in the UK, except with a minimum price.

[dewline.livejournal.com]

Anyone from the UK want to weigh in on this one? How was/is it done in the Kingdom?

[runesmith.livejournal.com]

Is there some massive conspiracy this week to completely destroy the already struggling Canadian film and television industry? First we hear Cinespace is getting evicted, then ACTRA goes on strike, and now this asshat.

Hell. Why don't we just give up now and submit to the overwhelming and obvious cultural superiority of 'CSI' and 'Dancing With the Stars'? Let's just spend all that money on more crappy U.S. productions rather than, oh, say, KEEPING IT IN OUR OWN COUNTRY!

[dewline.livejournal.com]

It does seem sometimes as though a lot of people in a lot of places have an Investment in making us view our own cultural independence as a nation as being an Unaffordable Luxury.

Such views are a load of crap, of course. But it looks like the fight's going to go on for a while yet, doesn't it?

This is part of why I'm thinking of setting up my own webcomics project, in fact. If blogging makes me a public broadcaster, why not do as much as I can? If CBC or a properly civic-minded private broadcaster(may there be such a beast, please?) wants to adapt it, I'll be glad to talk with them.

I am not yet convinced that Shaw Comm. is such a broadcaster, and after that spiel yesterday, they've got a longer ways to go than they used to.

[runesmith.livejournal.com]

If you need any help, I'm in. Because the private broadcasters are certainly NOT living up to even the meagre provisions of their license requirements for CanCon.

I did a quick count today - City is doing fine, Global is slacking a bit but still in there, and CTV... well, they suck. This week: a lousy 4 1/2 hours of CanCon in primetime, and only 1 1/2 hours of drama or comedy. Sorry, but 'Corner Gas' doesn't excuse you from airing your requisite 8 hours, no matter how popular it is.

NOT BLOODY GOOD ENOUGH!

They need to learn a lesson or two from the radio stations that used to bitch about CanCon.

lets just spend....

[(Anonymous)]

"Let's just spend all that money on more crappy U.S. productions rather than, oh, say, KEEPING IT IN OUR OWN COUNTRY!"

i'm not sure what you mean. as far as I can tell this fund is only for canadian productions. anyway, why should private business be forced to "contribute" to a fund?. is that not really just an extra tax?. if this is really for the canadian viewers benefit, then why not collect that in the form of a tax to all VIEWERS instead. maybe a levy on TV's ( like blank CDs ) or somthing. i know that won't happen (public pressure & or current gov on tax reduction ), so just get it from those big greedy companies instead.

In response...

[dewline.livejournal.com]

...I can only say that the whole idea of trying to rebalance the playing field to ensure that our own products and creative talent can earn an honest living without having to move to Hollywood or Europe is one that appeals to me.

So does cultural sovereignty within our own borders.

As for a license fee - or even a onetime "first purchase" levy - for every TV, personal video recorder, etc. sold, it's certainly an idea worth considering.

I do consider the airwaves a public resource, though, strictly on loan to the networks. If they want access to what is still effectively a federal license to print money, then certain responsibilities - taxes if you need to call them that - obtain along with the desired privileges. And as a private citizen, I don't think the private networks have been delivering on their responsibilities.

Re: lets just spend....

[runesmith.livejournal.com]

i'm not sure what you mean. as far as I can tell this fund is only for canadian productions.

I mean that Shaw would rather spend all of his money cherry-picking top ten U.S. network shows that will make guarenteed millions for his company in advertising revenue, instead of contributing a fraction of those millions towards Canadian productions that employ Canadians and promote Canadian culture.

I mean that he contributes nothing and creates nothing - he's just a merchant.

I was halfway through writing something lengthy on this subject, but dewline already covered a lot of it, and the rest I think I'll save for my blog (http://runesmith.blogspot.com). Not now, but maybe by the weekend. Stay tuned.