The federal government is asking for input on the future of the country’s broadcasting system.
The CRTC consultation that launched yesterday goes until February 24, 2025, will examine how broadcasters, television providers, and streaming platforms such as the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and more interact, and what rules are needed to guide those relationships.
The discussion will focus on how to ensure Canadian content, including Indigenous programming, remains accessible, and how smaller broadcasters can compete with larger ones and international streaming giants. It will also explore ways to make content easier to find and whether the current rules for resolving disputes between broadcasters are effective.
Canadians can participate in the consultation by submitting comments online, by mail, or by fax (yes, fax in 2025). Indigenous peoples requiring assistance with submissions can contact the CRTC’s Indigenous Relations Team. The deadline to submit feedback is February 24, 2025, at 8 PM EST.
This consultation says it will look into how to create a fairer system, but it remains unclear what concrete actions will follow from public feedback. At the end of the day, Canadians should have the freedom to watch what they want, and not have Canadian content shoved down their throats.
The Online Streaming Act, or Bill C-11, is a streaming tax that will affect tech giants such as Apple, YouTube and more. Of course, these tech giants oppose the tax, which will likely be passed down to consumers.
The only reason to subscribe to cable TV nowadays is due to the subsidized bundle pricing pushed by our telecoms Rogers, Telus and Bell. It’s usually cheaper to have your cellphone services, internet and cable TV bundled from one provider, because that’s what they want (even if you don’t want cable TV or home phone as well).
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"At the end of the day, Canadians should have the freedom to watch what they want, and not have Canadian content shoved down their throats." Yes, that is what we want. And we want to be able to sign up for and watch american programming just like we were in the USA. For example, why can't i sign up thru my cable company or apple tv for college football? Maybe i want the BIG10 network, or SEC network and maybe i want ESPN instead of TSN(which is only about Toronto sports)… The CRTC is basically a government organisation that wants everyone to agree that Canadian content is what everyone wants, and they are absolutely wrong. We don't want it and if you do, then you should be able to sign up for it and if don't want it, then take if off my screen.
But you can't have those things because you don't live in the US. If you want things in your life to be as they would be if you lived south of the border, there's one sure-fire way to make that happen, but living in Canada, you'll just have to put up with the existence of, well, Canada, and Canadian content.
There should be a good balance. Some people just wanna watch mainstream programs. Some people (like me) only care about sports and the odd movie. I do agree with you that Canada needs to have its own strong culture, and producing Canadian content is a big piece of that. We can’t just copy America otherwise we might as well be the 51st state.
It should be more like music. There are a lot of good artists who are Canadian. That doesn’t mean every song needs to be about maple syrup, or something stereotypical like that.
What an absolutely dumb take
What’s dumb about not understanding Canadians demanding to watch American television just as Americans and complaining it’s unfair they can’t – from Canada?
OOh So much Canadian content is beyond terrible. I feel that
The CRTC is just a laughing stock at this point and absolutely useless. The fact that the government was able to get away with what they did is just absurd.
Enjoy the likely CBC made garbage that is Canadian content. Meanwhile we pay for this mess. Nobody will want to watch Netflix if they have to sift through subpar content that nobody but Canadians will ever see anyway. No idea how hard it is for people to understand – but logic is hard.
I llike cable and i like Netflix sometimes i cancel netfkix when i bored of it and then resume it later. I dont want to lose cable so why even ask its a free market let everything operate and who wants what can purcahse what they wanti like to watch live soorts on cable and like to laugh at all the propaganda news networks
As long as Canada has an oligarchy system Nothing is going to get better for us!!
Considering the disgraceful "service" i get from telus, 7 hrs on the phone, 4 broken equipment and 3 days of having to sacrifice work just to get a pvr to record. Or good old shaw, who i had to take to the ccts to get a contract broken because of their refusal to replace underground wiring corroded to the point of signal loss. Explain to me why I should even care if these businesses stay afloat? I dumped my shares out of concern for their future value as the disgraceful service alone will inevitably plummet their share values. You can pay less doing pure streaming.
Seeing as how we'll apparently be a part of the United States soon, I guess we'll see the disbanding of the CRTC and the rollout of US television networks within Canada.
lolol, I'm kidding. But what if–? 😮