The government subsidizes TV. That's like having the Queen on the money (they don't even do that in Scotland). It is anachronistic and should end.
Poor people pay far more federal taxes in Canada than in the USA. Granted, they get healthcare that is partially funded by the federal government, but mostly it is to pay for things of dubious value like 28 billion on national defence and 2 billion on the CBC/Radio-Canada.
TV, that can be paid for via advertising, channel subscriptions, video on-demand rentals, DVD rentals and Internet subscriptions (like Netflix) doesn't need the money from the poor folks that work at Tim Hortons.
Remember when Discovery and A&E had compelling programs? Those days are gone. That's because TV is a brain dead medium. The idiot box. You watch it when you are too tired to do anything else.
But even junk TV is expensive. So expensive that producing local content is prohibitive. Not even the CBC does that (no, stuff made in Toronto or Vancouver is not "local" when you live in the Maritimes. Heck, even a Stephen King novel contains more local content).
We watch Faulty Towers from 30 years ago, we watch the British and the American Office. Some people watch one ot the many incarnations of "The Bridge".
Meanwhile, many of us get our entertainment from the written word. Or family. Or sports.
I'm a huge fan of TV and enjoy CBC shows like Mr. D (made in Halifax). I probably get my money's worth (despite the CBC not having over the air in Moncton). But there are ways to charge me for that content. And if a show can more efficiently be made in LA or London, than so be it.
2 comments:
I don't know how old you are but I assume from your naivete it's not very. Do us all a favour though and stop pretending you're remotely progressive. Sorry but you're strictly Team Harper on this one.
i'm not sure age matters, but mound of sound is bang on. privatizing the cbc is a harper thing. and federal liberals did their share too. not progressive. the cbc is about maintaining and enhancing the cultural fabric of the country, something that makes neoliberals bleed out of their eye sockets.
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