Of all the transgressions and failures the CBC has been accused of -- with renewed vigour since the Conservative government brought down its budget -- there is one indictment the Mother Corp. doesn't deserve. Point fingers all you want at the national broadcaster's bloated bureaucracy, its holier-than-thou intellectualism and slanted politics, but don't blame it for failing to produce entertaining English-language TV. The CBC has nothing -- or at least very little -- to work with on this file. The truth is, Canadians just aren't very good at making compelling TV.
Think of a CBC drama or comedy of recent memory -- any one will do, really -- and what immediately comes to mind is bland storytelling, sophomoric acting and cheap production values. Republic of Doyle, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Arctic Air -- none of these CBC shows could be classified as compelling, certainly not by the standards of the American network and cable series Canadians love to watch.
Moreover, this isn't the CBC's problem exclusively. Global, CTV, our sports networks -- none produce original Canadian entertainment content that would pass muster when run against American, British, European or even French-Canadian competition. Really, there is but one Canadian-made TV show, Second City Television (SCTV), that carries any significant artistic cache in this country and elsewhere, and it's been off the air for 28 years now -- the only people who still care about that gem are TV geeks, not your average prime-time viewer.
It's time to face facts: Our TV simply sucks.
The ratings bear this out. For the week, March 19-25, not a single Canadian-made comedy or drama was in the top 10 programs watched by Canadians (though Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) placed sixth). Dragons' Den came in 13th place, but the CBC reality show is far from an original program -- it's a knock-off of a Japanese show. You have to scroll all the way down to 30th place -- that is, last place -- to find Doyle, the only Canadian-made comedy or drama on the list. Every show in the top 12, save HNIC, is made in the U.S.
(It's worth noting the ratings failure of homegrown shows is specific to English Canada; French-Canadians love Quebec-made TV shows -- during the same week-long period, the American Idol ripoff Star Académie was the number one and two rated show in Quebec.)
Canadian TV is so lousy for two reasons that are related: First, making a quality TV show is very expensive -- the AMC series Mad Men, for example, costs $2-2.5 million per episode to make, so does NCIS, the number three show in Canada. It makes no economic sense to spend that kind of money on a show that will be seen by, maximum, 2.5 million people (the number of Canadians who watch number-one rated, and made in the U.S.A., The Amazing Race).
Which leads to reason number two: There's no money to make TV in Canada. Our best television actors, producers, directors and script writers head south for work. The talent drain is perpetual -- and who can blame them for leaving when the money's better and the fame bigger? Canadian actors acting on Canadian-made shows are there because they can't make it in Hollywood, plain and simple.
So, while the knee-jerk reaction is to hold the CBC, and other networks, accountable for failing to provide quality television entertainment -- for wasting precious taxpayer dollars to produce and market sub-par shows season after season, the reality is what makes it to air is, literally, the best Canadian content our networks have to offer. Shackled by a mandate that says it must produce Canadian-made comedies and dramas, the CBC is essentially being forced into feeding us crud, and then enduring our complaints about it.
If budget cuts mean the CBC will be able to produce less original Canadian content, well maybe that's not a bad thing. Canadians would rather watch Simpsons reruns, Coronation Street and Jeopardy! anyways, and those shows are cheaper to air than an episode of the mediocre Mr. D. Given a choice between homegrown TV and entertaining TV, Canadians long ago chose the latter.
In the end, it's worth remembering that this is television we're talking about. It's not an issue of national import, just a big hunk of metal and plastic spewing contrived tales that have little or no bearing on regular life (not to mention the interminable commercials) -- so what if ours is worse than everyone else's?
There are far, far better ways to spend your time than lying comatose in front of the idiot box -- like, say, reading a Canadian book, or listening to a Canadian band. You know, things we're actually good at.
Follow Yoni Goldstein on Twitter: www.twitter.com/yonigoldstein
We suck at Televison Programs a lot less than Mr. Goldstein does at writing well documented and informatively-backed articles that seem to succeed, at best, only at championing silly contrarian views. I can picture Mr. Goldstein at family functions among indifferent uncles and smiling cousins. "Look at me mom, I caused a ruckus but writing something no one believes or adheres to, but I am different, see, and unique. Aren't you glad I didn't take your advice about dental school?" It's never too late Yoni.
I grew up on back to back episodes of 22 Minutes, Air Farce, Just for Laughs, Chilly Beach, Corner Gas and the Mercer Report. Seeing Canadian comedians on TV daily probably formed part of who I am. American comedy is not the same. Since then, I've followed Canadian-made shows like Being Erica, Rookie Blue, and 18 to Life and loved them dearly.
Most people listen to what's on the radio, so they mostly listen to things like Gaga and Katy Perry. They read books like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Despite all this, there is still a thriving Canadian music scene and excellent literature being produced here. Just because most people will choose glitzy American TV (and mostly, people just watch what's on) over Canadian content does not mean that it is not still an important part of our culture.
If the author prefers his foreign programming, he's lucky that those shows are also available for viewing. There's no need to enact new rules that would deny the availability or even the production of home-grown television content to the citizens of Canada who do enjoy it and are entertained by it.
"It's time to face facts: Our TV simply sucks." Perhaps the author should learn the difference between fact and opinion before publishing an article that is intended to be read by others.
Second, the move toward vertical integration of Studio & 'caster has not resulted in any great uptick in the aggregate numbers of "quality" shows. Most experts who've been covering the industry since before the latest ownership iterations agree that it's diluted and harmed the development process by changing the relationship between studio & network, & giving too much power to one side. it's also worth noting that just like in the USA, 80% of the "rigorous creative process" US shows are canceled in year one. The failure rate in TV is astronomical and every attempt to change that math has not borne fruit.
Canada stands alone among countries of importing the crappiest US stuff. England, Australia and other countries never see the 3 episode and out wonders.
Much of the fault of failures of creative can be placed on the creatives, much on producers, and just as much on the networks. Remember also that Corner Gas was moved 6 times for other US sitcoms, none of which drew bigger numbers or lasted more than a season -- while CG's audience always found, and followed it. Beware those who'd proffer simple solutions to complex problems.
You are missing my point - this is not a fault of the creatives, it is a fault of a protectionist funding system. I am talking about why Canadian content is an after thought, and why a tiny percentage of a Canadian broadcasters spend is on Canadian content.
"Made in Canada"
All excellent shows that died before their time.
Without his proper research on our industry I suggest the Canadian content we really don't need is Yoni Goldstein.
Peter Keleghan
"Canadian" HuffPo, time to stop your revisionist B.S. You could, and should, DREAM of pageviews that approach the audience of homegrown tv. Goldstein reveals nothing other than bitterness, and joins a fine tradition of Canadian "hating" that has attempted to fling calumnies at those who make music, literature, or ar--a cultural attitude best glimpsed in the rearview mirror.
The truth is your pathetic 10 thousand page views or whatever could not hold a candle to the million plus tuning in to Cdn tv every week. Thanks to the vast majority of commenters here who've called this out for what it is. We'll continue to work to bring something other than warmed over American TV to your homes.
Yoni, anytime you want to take a risk and start earning $$$ as a writer, may I suggest the old proviso of "writing what you know?" B/C you sure as shineola don't know TV -- Canadian or otherwise.
Excellent production values and a highly talented cast. There is great stuff that can be made in Canada, we just need to put our minds and our wallets to it.
With regards to the CBC I want them to stick around as a foil against American style polarizing news. Also, their sports coverage is exceptional.
Guess he forgot about "Kids in the Hall" and "Da Vinci's Inquest."
Is that what Mr. Goldstein is shilling for?
Normally I would not bat a eye at a comment like this because I see it as opinion - we all have one. But other words the author said pushed me over the edge. Such as "bloated bureaucracy... holier-than-thou intellectualism and slanted politics".
I watch mostly TVO and CBC for the intellectual content so lacking in the American imports, that the author seems to enjoy. I also don't mind the bloated bureaucracy because that probably contributes to the improvement in "intellectual" content.
And of course the "slanted" politics. That is why I love and hate the CBC. I cannot stand watching Kevin O'Leary, Don Cherry, Tom Flanagan and of course Rex Murphy reeling with their Conservative diatribes. But then Mark Kelly and Rick Mercer offset the former by slanting the politics in another direction. But wait, didn't they say they are pulling Mark Kelly's Connect. CBC is full of slants no question there. Perhaps the author prefers Fox TV where the slants are all in one direction.
Pounding lots of money at a film does not make it good. Low budget films are actually closer to the real, reality than most of the costly and sensationalized American shows. Perhaps if the author feels the idiot box is not satisfying him, then maybe he has been watching too many episodes of Mad Men. That is just my opinion.