Prime-time TV should be Canadian: Layton

[Fade]

Prime-time TV should be Canadian: Layton
By THE CANADIAN PRESS

QUEBEC - NDP Leader Jack Layton wants to ensure that prime-time TV shows are written and produced by Canadians and feature Canadian stars.

Layton's campaign landed Tuesday in Quebec, where he's hoping to bleed support away from the Conservatives by attacking their controversial cuts to arts funding.

"One of the key things we must do, before we start giving $50-billion tax giveaways to banks and oil companies, is to protect and promote the arts," Layton said.

"We've got to begin that project by protecting and promoting the artists themselves."

Layton promised a New Democrat government would restore the $45 million in funding cut by the Tories and provide additional tax breaks to artists, writers and performers.

He said the NDP would follow Quebec's example and introduce income averaging for artists and a $20,000 annual tax break on income generated by copyright and residual revenues.


http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/Includes/Ads/advertisement_hor.gif
"This won't solve all of the problems facing the artists of our country, but it will be an excellent first step."

Story continued.... (http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2008/09/23/6850356-cp.html)

[Mu-Meson]

Good ol' Taliban Jack. Focusing on the important issues, like how many hours of godawful homegrown TV programmes should be on the box. Considering how we will all be paying for it, I suppose we might as well watch some of it, eh?

[Winger]

Story continued.... (http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/CanadaVotes/News/2008/09/23/6850356-cp.html)

This is the stupidest thing I've heard today. Sounds like something you would expect out of San Fransisco.

[Chairborne_Ranger]

Here's an anti-conservative AND IMO, blatantly anti-anglophone T.V. Ad from Quebec regarding "zee eeevul conservatives" plans to "kill" culture -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhgv85m852Q

This video is living proof of why we shouldn't be spending tax dollars on so-called liberal arts. I mean, this has to be the most badly scripted, badly acted performance I've ever seen!!

[SoSo]

If the programs on TV were genuinely interesting and entertaining, lots of Canadians would watch them, and advertisers would be glad to buy commercial time knowing that they'll have a good audience. The good programs would generate money, and stay on the air, while the duds no one liked would be cancelled.
The problem arises when you have cultural elites in charge, who believe their idea of what constitutes "art" is inherently superior to what is preferred by the masses, and should be subsidized. These people don't want to let the television audience or market forces determine programming. Their snobbish elitism is very plain to see. Let's extort more money from Canadian taxpayers so we can put operas, ballet and the theatre on TV, or some such highfalutin stuff, even though most viewers would prefer more uncouth proletarian fare, because we alone can recognize real culture, real art, when we see it.

[[ KOOSHAB ]]

I don't know, but a lot of Canadian kid shows are popular here.
Play the best cards in your deck and try not to gamble tax-payers money

[nullterm]

Shouldn't the Canadian TV industry worry about that? It's their job to make sure Canadian TV programs don't suck, not the governments. Canadian TV isn't prime time because it isn't prime time. 1/10th the audience, 1/10th the budget. There's no way to create something on the same level as 24 for Canada. Lay off the peace pipe, Jack.

And James is right. The emphasis (especially for CBC) is more on art & culture, which isn't catering to what the majority of people want to see. Except for hockey, that's perfect.

[SoSo]

I forgot to add, there have been some great science fiction TV programs coming out of Canada, as well as more actors and actresses than you could shake a stick at. I know this genre isn't to everyone's taste. But I wonder if these programs had to be subsidized?

[nullterm]

I think every production in Canada, regardless of genre, gets gov't subsidies.

Canada has produced alot of great talent: actors, directors, writers, comedians, musicians.

And there have been alot of "American" programming filmed on Canadian soil: Battlestar Galactica, X-Files, Dead Like Me, Stargate, Andromeda, etc. I chuckle at the amount of recognizable Canadian actors you see appearing in those shows.

[vinny_121_ND]

We have enough to watch on prime time tv that it's getting ridiculous. We don't need more tv to watch. There's a link between excessive tv watching and obesity.

[Mu-Meson]

We have enough to watch on prime time tv that it's getting ridiculous. We don't need more tv to watch. There's a link between excessive tv watching and obesity.

Egads! You're right. The NDP is practically promoting childhood obesity!

[Supplanter]

I chuckle at the amount of recognizable Canadian actors you see appearing in those shows.

I love seeing people and places I know on "American" shows.

[redhawk_six]

I forgot to add, there have been some great science fiction TV programs coming out of Canada, as well as more actors and actresses than you could shake a stick at. I know this genre isn't to everyone's taste. But I wonder if these programs had to be subsidized?

Yes, produced by American companies, often staring American actors/actresses in lead roles, and written by American writers. And lets not forget, made with American money.

Canadian productions are always, without fail, horribly under-funded.

That's the producers fault, not the conservative gov't's fault.

[nullterm]

I love seeing people and places I know on "American" shows.

It's kind of funny occasionally seeing a movie in Vancouver.

I remember one Jet Li movie where a guy in a limo said something to the effect of "I love LA." Then the next shot was a helicopter pan out showing the Lion's Gate Bridge. The whole audience started laughing.

The most famous example I know of is Rumble in the Bronx. Last time I checked, the North Shore mountains weren't anywhere near New York. In fact, there's no mountains around New York.

[nullterm]

Yes, produced by American companies, often staring American actors/actresses in lead roles, and written by American writers. And lets not forget, made with American money.

Canadian productions are always, without fail, horribly under-funded.

That's the producers fault, not the conservative gov't's fault.

Nope. We're just too small of a country to make big budget anything. We do make some pretty decent small budget stuff that depends more on intangibles: SCTV, Trailer Park Boys, Kids in the Hall, Corner Gas, etc.

However, I am very much looking forward to Passchendaele with Paul Gross. Looks like it could break the big budget barrier at $40 mil.

Edit - Huh, Videodrome is apparently Canadian.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086541/companycredits

[boone]

You lost me at "Corner Gas"

[vinny_121_ND]

Canadian tv may not be the best compared to the US, but don't forget, we only have a few channels we watch from. CTV, CanWest Global, CBC, and a few low budget networks like A Channel. They don't have the big budget to pay the stars half a million dollars per episode. What we have produced are a few canadian actors and actresses like keifer sutherland, Elisha Cuthbert on 24.

Regardless of whether or not people bash canadian tv quality, Canadians still love watching american TV. 24, Friends, simpsons, house md, csi, amazing race, heroes, the unit, etc etc we all watch them and we could care less if they're american or not.

[nullterm]

You lost me at "Corner Gas"

It's a prarie thing.

[Supplanter]

It's a prarie thing.

TSN is hot, you figure out what that means :)

[Chairborne_Ranger]

Canadian tv may not be the best compared to the US, but don't forget, we only have a few channels we watch from. CTV, CanWest Global, CBC, and a few low budget networks like A Channel. They don't have the big budget to pay the stars half a million dollars per episode. What we have produced are a few canadian actors and actresses like keifer sutherland, Elisha Cuthbert on 24.

Regardless of whether or not people bash canadian tv quality, Canadians still love watching american TV. 24, Friends, simpsons, house md, csi, amazing race, heroes, the unit, etc etc we all watch them and we could care less if they're american or not.


Jack Layton can take away 24 from my cold dead ****ing hands!!

[BloodyTalon]

The only Canadian shows that i know of are Kids in the Hall, Trailer Park Boys, and Kenny vs. Spenny. Which, to its credit, would make for an awesome prime time lineup.

[nullterm]

The only Canadian shows that i know of are Kids in the Hall, Trailer Park Boys, and Kenny vs. Spenny. Which, to its credit, would make for an awesome prime time lineup.

I forgot that one. Didn't care much about it, until I saw a few episodes. Now I can't turn away if I come across it channel surfing.

[nullterm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Hotz

Kenny is currently embroiled in a controversy with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in British Columbia for alleged hate speech, after entering a contest to see who could offend the greatest number of people.

rofl

[Supplanter]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Hotz

Kenny is currently embroiled in a controversy with the Canadian Human Rights Commission in British Columbia for alleged hate speech, after entering a contest to see who could offend the greatest number of people.

rofl
I posted this about a month and a half ago :)

A B.C. man has filed a human-rights complaint alleging religious discrimination after a TV personality flew a plane pulling a "Jesus sucks" banner over Toronto.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=b120c918-ce63-426a-8406-3cf50d2025f2

[loganinkosovo]

Canadian tv may not be the best compared to the US, but don't forget, we only have a few channels we watch from. CTV, CanWest Global, CBC, and a few low budget networks like A Channel. They don't have the big budget to pay the stars half a million dollars per episode. What we have produced are a few canadian actors and actresses like keifer sutherland, Elisha Cuthbert on 24.

Regardless of whether or not people bash canadian tv quality, Canadians still love watching american TV. 24, Friends, simpsons, house md, csi, amazing race, heroes, the unit, etc etc we all watch them and we could care less if they're american or not.


If the legislation goes through can we send you all the Bad Canadian Actors you've flooded the U.S. with all these years?

A prisoner exchange with us receiving their weight in maple syrup in return seems equitable.

:)