Midterm 1 Flashcards
Cultural materialism
What societies do to make a culture is to make adaptations to their environment (climate, geography). That is what makes societies have unique cultures.
Most canadians live within how many km of the border?
100km
Why does Canada face broadcasting challenges?
It’s a big country with physical obstacles like mountains that separate us.
Is there one Canada?
No, Canada has many different cultural regions.
Multiculturalism
People don’t have to give up their past identities.
6 Relevant features of Canadian Society:
Vast territory and varied geography, population (size and location), regionalism, two official languages, multiculturalism, proximity to the United states and lack of other neighbors.
6 key features of Canadian Broadcasting system
- Technological Innovation, 2. Unique public private mix 3. parallel dual language programming 4. Multicultural programming 5. High level of foreign content 6. Heavy regulation
Private media
Media for profit
Why is our media partly composed of government funded media and private media?
In the beginning, we could not rely on private companies to connect all canadians by building infrastructure and creating technologies - not cost effective. Gov also stepped in later to prevent Americans from dominating our media.
In the early broadcasting discussions, some people wanted the CBC to do what?
Broadcast in English and French on one channel, instead of two separate channels.
Commission set up in 1929
Aird Commission
Aird Commission named after
Sir John Aird
Why was the Aird commission set up?
Radio was just being established, and it wasn’t regulated. Gov concerned about American dominance of radio, and were interested in creating a system to counter this threat and to get radio everywhere.
Recommendations of Aird Commission
nationalize radio system and build infrastructure.
After Aird Commission, broadcasting centered around three issues:
- Preservation of national sovereignty
- Universal access to broadcasting services
- Protecting broadcasting from being exploited by private interests.
Aird commision led to what?
An official act of parliament - creation of the Canadian Radio-Broadcasting Act (1932)
The Canadian Radio-Broadcasting Act (1932)
Created the CRBC and banned national radio networks. Individual private radio channels still allowed.
CRBC
Canadian radio-broadcasting corporation. Later became the CBC.
Canadian Broadcasting Act
1936 - CRBC becomes the CBC and it obtains a dual role - national broadcaster and regulator (gives out licenses to private networks). Previously there was no official regulator.
Who headed the Fowler Commission?
Robert Fowler
Fowler Commission Recommendation
1957 - stresses need for stronger Canadian broadcasting system (TV & radio) - fear of Americanization.
Why was Fowler Commission (1957) created?
Television was just released. More powerful tool for Americanization.
Fowler Commission (1957) leads to what?
Broadcasting Act (1958)
Broadcasting Act (1958)
Confirms CBC’s role as Canada’s Broadcaster
Allows private network establishment
Creates BBG as official regulator
Sets for the first time a Canadian content quota of 45% for TV (eventually removed). - Broadcasting as Canadian in “content and character” as possible.
BBG
Bureau of Broadcast Governors (can give licenses)
Why did the Broadcasting Act (1958) allow the establishment of private networks?
Private companies lobbied the government, saying that private networks could be very profitable for the Canadian economy.
What happened in 1967?
100th anniversary of the confederation. Expo 67 in Montreal - point of immense pride for Canadians. For the first time, people were more proud of Canada than the commonwealth. Increased investment in cultural organizations and renaming of government organizations to stress that they were Canadian.
First Private TV network
CTV
Broadcasting Act (1968)
Canadian TV content quotas increased from 45% to 60% (minimum - CBC required to show as much canadian content as possible). CBC given mandate to broadcast in both official languages and promote cultural expression and national unity. Mandated Canadian ownership of Broadcast media to counter American Influence. BBG becomes CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television commission - precursor to today’s Canadian Radio-Television and telecommunications Commission).
What occurred in 1971?
CRTC CanCon Regulations
CanCon
Canadian Content
CRTC CanCon Regulations (1971)
CRTC created a system of rules for CanCon, including radio. For the first time, it mandated that a certain proportion of radio songs must be Canadian - considered the savior or developer of the Canadian music industry.
These regulations are included in terms & conditions of licenses
What can the CRTC do if its CanCon regulations are being violated?
Take away the license from stations who are violating these regulations - not just a fine.
What happened in 1975?
Canadian radio-television commission becomes Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications commission - regulate the telephone industry
Broadcast Act (1991)
Specific inclusion of bilingual, multicultural, aboriginal programming - reflected federal government’s insistence on multiculturalism. Programming to be Canadian in content & character. CBC key to “Canadian Consciousness” (not defined)
CRTC Report on New Media (1999)
CRTC decides not to attempt to regulate new media. Internet too difficult to regulate.
Problem with Canadian TV content quotas
Broadcasters were cheating by using news and Canadian sports to fulfill their quotas. Not creating enough dramas or comedies for primetime. Led to Canadian Media Policy framework for Canadian Television
Canadian Media Policy Framework for Canadian television
1999 - Created incentives to help broadcasters produce more dramas - Creating one hour of Canadian drama fulfills 1.5 hours on their quotas. Had mixed amount of success.
CRTC Let’s Talk TV
Last Fall (2014) - Public Consultation and hearings Discussion on giving consumer more freedom to pick what is inside his/her cable package. Before, they had to receive a lot of predetermined Cable channels (enforced by CRTC). Had to have one Canadian Channel to have an American channel. Report was due December 2014.
Broadcasting Act
Governs the CRTC and all broadcasters in Canada.
Main objective of broadcasting act according to CRTC
Ensure that Canadians have access to a wide variety of high-quality Canadian Programming.
5 pillars of today’s Broadcasting Act
- Canadian radio and tv stations should be effectively owned and operated by Canadians.
- Canadian system is composed of two parts: public and private
- Canadian broadcasters should safeguard, enrich, and strengthen life in Canada. (reason for regulation)
- Canadian broadcasters are responsible for what he/she broadcasts.
- Broadcasts should not include anything in contravention to the law - obscenities, profanities, false news.
What kind of medium is a magazine? Why?
National advertising medium. Advertisers used magazines through the 19th century to build national national markets for their products. Few books carried advertisements, and advertisements in newspapers were restricted to a regional level. Contributed to sense of nationhood.
The majority of magazine revenue comes from
advertising.
What percentage of magazines on our newsstand is homegrown?
20%
Canadians prefer Canadian Magazines or American ones?
Canadian ones, because of Canadian content.
People have what for magazines?
They have a tremendous appetite for magazines.
Canadian government feels that magazines do what?
Magazines play an important role in the cultural life of Canadians.
For more than a hundred years, the government has done what with magazines?
Helped to foster the growth and development of Canadian magazines.
What does the Canada Periodical Fund do?
2010 - Supports Canadian magazines through the Department of Canadian Heritage.
Napster
First online file-sharing software
Inventor of Napster
Shawn Fanning.
What did Napster do to the record industry?
For the first time, record industry no longer in control of new technology. Saw a fall in sales.
Who sued Napster? For what? What happened?
RIAA sued for copyright infringement. Napster lost
RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America - Trade association for recording companies.
What did the RIAA do that was so controversial? What happened?
Sued pirating individuals. Backfired, engendered hard feelings amongst industry’s greatest consumers.
RIAA sued Grokster for what after Napster?
Sued Grokster for encouraging copyright infringement.
Peer to Peer (P2P) file sharing
File sharing software without a central server.
Canadian equivalent of RIAA
CRIA - Canadian Recording Industry Association
Worst offenders of music piracy
Teenagers (68%)
Supreme Court Ruled what against CRIA?
Simply placing files in a shared P2P folder does not constitute copyright infringement.
Alternative reason for decline of music sales
Little to do with p2p file sharing. has to do with decline in quality of music. Hyped up music sales down, good music sales up.
Before downloading crisis, biggest drain on sales for the music industry was
Criminal music dubbing.
Dubbed CDs mainly from…
Asia and Saudi Arabia.
Canada is a world hub in what? Why?
Internet Piracy - lack of copyright legislation with teeth compared to other countries like UK, France.
Recording industry’s counter to online digital piracy:
iTunes online music store.
Advantages of iTunes
Invention of format that made music have a high sound quality, small file size, and quick downloads. No viruses also.
iTunes drastically changed what?
The retailing of recorded music.