What’s disturbing about the CRTCs slow approval of Satellite Radio in Canada is the mindset of a group dedicated to standing in the way of these kinds of telecommunications technologies ostensibly for “cultural” reasons. Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is opposed to the arrival of satellite radio to Canada (Canadian content regulations and all). Friends’ spokesperson Ian Morrison has this to say: "Today's decision creates a pipeline for U.S. radio programs direct to Canada, with little in return for our country,"
So, demand for US programming isn’t enough? Freedom of information isn’t enough? That we sentient beings here in Canada might actually want some US radio programs doesn’t quite cut it with Ian. There has to be something that Ian Morrison thinks is valuable to Canada or he is going to appeal to federal cabinet in court, these are the threats the Friends’ are making today.
No friends of mine.
Just go to the friends’ site and see the rotating images on their main page title. They’re mostly random images from the old glory days of 50’s and 60’s Canadian broadcasting. A proud history indeed these cultural isolationist, xeno-technophobes have no business citing for their own purposes. The whole image they’re trying to portrait smacks of a National Front-like movement or any movement that draws inspiration from a slanted interpretation of the “good old days”. A Friend to Canadian broadcasting is fine, promote Canadian content is fine. But these people seem more interested in being enemy to progress than friend to any free thinking Canadian.
The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting and the CRTC itself is an affront to the storied, forward thinking and fearless history of Canadian communications technology. “Friends” tries to capture these images of our proud past for their protectionist agenda. This can only lead Canadians to believe our cultural heritage as clever engineers and worldwide telecommunications leaders is something that brings us “demons” from south of the border. In that brave past we were the first to broadcast live events from coast to coast, and not just once to prove it could be done, but regularly to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday night to all Canadians. A Scot-Canadian invented the telephone. We helped Marconi send the first signals from one continent to another when he communicated all the way from Newfoundland to Pisa Italy in 1901. American’s invented cable TV, but it was Canadians who perfected it as Canadian MacLean Hunter the giant of the cable industry brought Canadian engineers to teach their American cousins to wire their cities for moving images.
But what about today? Canada is late for new technological advances when the government can possibly have any say over it. The CRTC slows the progress we should be continuing as our birthright. We have yet to broadcast any network in HDTV across our country. We have only just approved the first satellite radio service in Canada and CRTC’s Chairman Charles Dalfen talks about it as if it’s a new and ground breaking even for Canada.
But you can’t blame the CRTC per-se, the CRTC is just a part of the Canadian government you elected. It’s the mindset of groups like Friends of Canadian Broadcasting and any Canadian who buys into the fear-mongering argument that our Canadian culture is so anemic it will simply whither before the onslaught of 50-cent and Kelly Clarkson. This is the ludicrous idea the CRTC is protecting Canadian culture from being swallowed up by the giant south of the border. Fortunately most Canadians don’t buy it. We know that the CRTC’s regulatory constipation of progress is only a thin disguise for social protectionism of the worst order; it’s the last vestige of hope keeping alive the outmoded “Minsitry of Information”.
