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

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.