How the CRTC could kill Netflix in Canada—All in the name of ‘modernizing’ broadcasting
It would be absurd to impose expectations on unlicensed streamers that are similar to those applied to licensed broadcasters. And yet the CRTC’s idea of “modernizing” broadcasting appears heavily weighted in favour of applying its 1990s way of doing things to the online world of 2023.
The government should stop meddling in our lives totally I have said for years that crtc should be a thing of the past, we are paying exorbitant prices for tv that is absolutely terrible.
17th November 2023 at 8:33 am
Curtis Jensen
I agree, can’t begin to think of what kind of TV we would have if only Canadian products allowed
17th November 2023 at 3:08 pm
Michelle Webber
The government should stop interfering with broadcasting, stop protecting media companies at the cost of the public wants/needs, and focus on issues that the people of Canada actually want their help with, like housing and affordability.
17th November 2023 at 7:23 am
Alan C Ellis
The CRTC does not reflect the desires, demands and needs of the general population. In serious need of modernization. A change to the federal government ie get rid of the Liberals would also work wonders.
17th November 2023 at 7:09 am
john morel
right on
17th November 2023 at 8:30 am
Anthony
People HAVE been governed according to their sensitivities, but never by Canadian and U.S. governments. They have always sought to control and manage and to suppress and redirect the wishes of the people through the media manipulation, censorship and heavy-handed lawmaking. It’s a con game. Make promises then shrug them off as impracticable as soon as power is obtained. Just like the born liar and accomplished con man Jean Chretien did with his promise of beneficial tax reform.
18th November 2023 at 8:29 am
Leo Sabourin
Government should stop meddling in private business.
17th November 2023 at 8:07 am
Rob Tyrrell
So on the non-existing dichotomy of the question of government “meddling” in private business, yes or no?
Perhaps it is worth diving-in to the reality of the wide and complex spectrum in which government should and should not regulate, and to what degree, of which the media business, “old and new”, is but just one of many many categories?
There is obviously a necessary, complicated, and delicate regulatory dance required between government and business to “get things right” for citizens.
Now for the questions and issues at hand as presented by the article?…
17th November 2023 at 8:43 am
Michael F
Who needs silly things like seatbelts, speed limits, clean restaurants, safe drugs and banking regulations? Freedom!
17th November 2023 at 1:45 pm
Joseph
Yabut. Pee Pee for Pee Em. Free-dumb. All that stuff. Honk if you want to have sex with Justin… it’s a strange world.
17th November 2023 at 1:50 pm
Marilyn
We have the most expensive services for TV etc and the least availability. When do we do away with the CRTC altogether
17th November 2023 at 9:33 am
Carel MacLeod
What is most frustrating is that the average person has no where to voice an opinion any longer,
17th November 2023 at 10:13 am
Rob Tyrrell
Mercifully we have all of these near-zero-cost-to-many online forums and platforms on which to express how we have no where to voice an opinions any longer!
17th November 2023 at 12:46 pm
Gary Oxenforth
Get rid of the LIberals and the CRTC.Canadians should be able to listen and watch anything they desire.STOP shutting us out.
17th November 2023 at 9:14 am
George R Hinchliffe
You would think these Government Peons would have learned from the Online news fiasco. These Mega corporations are not going to be pushed around by some pissant 3rd world Government wonks. The Netflix Facebooks and Loblaw of the World are too Big for our silly little Government to boss around.
17th November 2023 at 8:43 am
Carel MacLeod
I agree. And who looses? Us!
17th November 2023 at 10:12 am
Michael F
It would appear that the education system failed you both.
17th November 2023 at 1:47 pm
Wilburn Stenssen
A recent study (see Axios) show that TikTok is the rising star of news sharing on social media – another example of politicians taking so long to craft a law that it’s obsolete by the time it’s passed! Bill C-18 targeted links on Facebook and Google but it turns out people are sharing news on TT that doesn’t even allow links in posts (neither does Instagram but for some reason Meta took news off there)!
I can’t wait to see how wrong C-11 ends up being! Never mind streamers leaving the Canadian market, I’m talking about Canadians just not being on the same page as politicians in a few years when the law is actually implemented.
17th November 2023 at 9:13 am
Kevin Scott Johnson
Get rid of them all.
17th November 2023 at 7:04 am
Dam
The government should not interfere with broadcasters.
If mainstream news agencies in Canada can’t keep up with online news agencies, maybe they need to get better at their chosen profession.
The Canadian mainstream news crew, must get better, but they choose instead, to run crying to Nanny Government for help!
Utter rubbish should go in the bin, NOT get paid help on OUR TAX DIME.
17th November 2023 at 11:46 am
Bill steenstra
Once you lose your ability to have consultation, opinions, you have lost all control to the powers of bureaucrats.
17th November 2023 at 5:46 pm
Joseph
I have to say that the comments here are very civil. While they don’t exactly match my take on things, I am relieved to find intelligent repartee here. Well done.
17th November 2023 at 1:54 pm
Barry Cutler
As times get harder and harder for people- mainly because of the cost of living, people need a relatively inexpensive way to be entertained. It in absolutely wrong to protect public broadcasters like the CBC at the expense of losing some private ones like Netflix. The public needs Netflix and other streamers. If public broadcasters cannot provide news and shows that keep the public interesting then perhaps they do not deserve to be there.
17th November 2023 at 1:04 pm
G Jackson
Never underestimate the bureaucracy’s capacity for bad decisions. Their space at the public trough is fully contingent on their ability to please their political masters, a task made easier if they can cloak it in the protection of “Canadian Content”.
17th November 2023 at 12:00 pm
Kim Morton
Netflix is not worth the cost now. It is just the principle of unelected liberal party hacks determining what I can watch.
17th November 2023 at 11:04 am
Horst Dannehl
The CRT is just another useless government agency.
17th November 2023 at 3:19 pm
Curtis Jensen
There is a very strong need to get rid of this wrong thinking & criminal government this country is in severe danger of becoming an extension of communist China under the current leadership as the current leader has expressed his desire to rule in the same manner & has been attempting to do so fore his time in office, he is a traitor to the principals of our Canada
17th November 2023 at 3:06 pm
Chris McDonald
Get out and stay out. Enough of these control tactics on our rights and freedoms.
17th November 2023 at 1:29 pm
The Hub Staff
Peter Menzies describes the CRTC as unprepared to deal “with the harsh truth that offshore companies don’t have to play by its rules.” Considering the nature of streamers, streaming services, and social media, how can the CRTC update its approach?
17th November 2023 at 10:06 am
DL
Controlling access to information/entertainment seems to be mindset of current federal government. Similar to federal government providing funding to Canadian print media – end result freedom of expression – more parroting of government philosophy. The dreams of controlling media is similar to the dream of showing the rest of the world how to reduce carbon footprint (LOL) at the cost to Canada of our economy. Canadians will lose these battles and the influence we could have by controls instead of leading by example and adapting with new technology etc.
18th November 2023 at 2:10 pm
Ralph
CRTC, Bill C 11, Bill C 18, CBC, all need to be gone.
Government needs to understand free markets work. The market can and will deliver better and higher levels of “Canadian Content” without needless and costly bureaucratic interventions. Consumers are more than capable of deciding with their wallets what works.
18th November 2023 at 12:43 pm
Morna Felicity Faith Spence
So surprised how amusing it is that the CRTC permit government propoganda n popoganda yet scramble to control streaming programs that are contrary or unauthorized or original. How Ironic n stupido n’est pas? Yah yah aye ha har de har har! What a SCAM!
18th November 2023 at 12:49 am
Michael F
Another needlessly hyper partisan article that only focuses on one side of the story and offers little nuance. And elsewhere today I see the pro Israel PR machine is in full propaganda mode here.
17th November 2023 at 1:48 pm
Paul
I have never used netflix or any other movie format. I do not care if netflix and their ilk pack up an go away. Why do we need them? That part was not addressed in the article. They are only providing entertainment content. Not something essential for life and the economy.
17th November 2023 at 11:18 am
Edi Schneider
What would life be without entertainment?Us older folks won’t go to strip clubs anymore.
Comments (35)
The government should stop meddling in our lives totally I have said for years that crtc should be a thing of the past, we are paying exorbitant prices for tv that is absolutely terrible.
I agree, can’t begin to think of what kind of TV we would have if only Canadian products allowed
The government should stop interfering with broadcasting, stop protecting media companies at the cost of the public wants/needs, and focus on issues that the people of Canada actually want their help with, like housing and affordability.
The CRTC does not reflect the desires, demands and needs of the general population. In serious need of modernization. A change to the federal government ie get rid of the Liberals would also work wonders.
right on
People HAVE been governed according to their sensitivities, but never by Canadian and U.S. governments. They have always sought to control and manage and to suppress and redirect the wishes of the people through the media manipulation, censorship and heavy-handed lawmaking. It’s a con game. Make promises then shrug them off as impracticable as soon as power is obtained. Just like the born liar and accomplished con man Jean Chretien did with his promise of beneficial tax reform.
Government should stop meddling in private business.
So on the non-existing dichotomy of the question of government “meddling” in private business, yes or no?
Perhaps it is worth diving-in to the reality of the wide and complex spectrum in which government should and should not regulate, and to what degree, of which the media business, “old and new”, is but just one of many many categories?
There is obviously a necessary, complicated, and delicate regulatory dance required between government and business to “get things right” for citizens.
Now for the questions and issues at hand as presented by the article?…
Who needs silly things like seatbelts, speed limits, clean restaurants, safe drugs and banking regulations? Freedom!
Yabut. Pee Pee for Pee Em. Free-dumb. All that stuff. Honk if you want to have sex with Justin… it’s a strange world.
We have the most expensive services for TV etc and the least availability. When do we do away with the CRTC altogether
What is most frustrating is that the average person has no where to voice an opinion any longer,
Mercifully we have all of these near-zero-cost-to-many online forums and platforms on which to express how we have no where to voice an opinions any longer!
Get rid of the LIberals and the CRTC.Canadians should be able to listen and watch anything they desire.STOP shutting us out.
You would think these Government Peons would have learned from the Online news fiasco. These Mega corporations are not going to be pushed around by some pissant 3rd world Government wonks. The Netflix Facebooks and Loblaw of the World are too Big for our silly little Government to boss around.
I agree. And who looses? Us!
It would appear that the education system failed you both.
A recent study (see Axios) show that TikTok is the rising star of news sharing on social media – another example of politicians taking so long to craft a law that it’s obsolete by the time it’s passed! Bill C-18 targeted links on Facebook and Google but it turns out people are sharing news on TT that doesn’t even allow links in posts (neither does Instagram but for some reason Meta took news off there)!
I can’t wait to see how wrong C-11 ends up being! Never mind streamers leaving the Canadian market, I’m talking about Canadians just not being on the same page as politicians in a few years when the law is actually implemented.
Get rid of them all.
The government should not interfere with broadcasters.
If mainstream news agencies in Canada can’t keep up with online news agencies, maybe they need to get better at their chosen profession.
The Canadian mainstream news crew, must get better, but they choose instead, to run crying to Nanny Government for help!
Utter rubbish should go in the bin, NOT get paid help on OUR TAX DIME.
Once you lose your ability to have consultation, opinions, you have lost all control to the powers of bureaucrats.
I have to say that the comments here are very civil. While they don’t exactly match my take on things, I am relieved to find intelligent repartee here. Well done.
As times get harder and harder for people- mainly because of the cost of living, people need a relatively inexpensive way to be entertained. It in absolutely wrong to protect public broadcasters like the CBC at the expense of losing some private ones like Netflix. The public needs Netflix and other streamers. If public broadcasters cannot provide news and shows that keep the public interesting then perhaps they do not deserve to be there.
Never underestimate the bureaucracy’s capacity for bad decisions. Their space at the public trough is fully contingent on their ability to please their political masters, a task made easier if they can cloak it in the protection of “Canadian Content”.
Netflix is not worth the cost now. It is just the principle of unelected liberal party hacks determining what I can watch.
The CRT is just another useless government agency.
There is a very strong need to get rid of this wrong thinking & criminal government this country is in severe danger of becoming an extension of communist China under the current leadership as the current leader has expressed his desire to rule in the same manner & has been attempting to do so fore his time in office, he is a traitor to the principals of our Canada
Get out and stay out. Enough of these control tactics on our rights and freedoms.
Peter Menzies describes the CRTC as unprepared to deal “with the harsh truth that offshore companies don’t have to play by its rules.” Considering the nature of streamers, streaming services, and social media, how can the CRTC update its approach?
Controlling access to information/entertainment seems to be mindset of current federal government. Similar to federal government providing funding to Canadian print media – end result freedom of expression – more parroting of government philosophy. The dreams of controlling media is similar to the dream of showing the rest of the world how to reduce carbon footprint (LOL) at the cost to Canada of our economy. Canadians will lose these battles and the influence we could have by controls instead of leading by example and adapting with new technology etc.
CRTC, Bill C 11, Bill C 18, CBC, all need to be gone.
Government needs to understand free markets work. The market can and will deliver better and higher levels of “Canadian Content” without needless and costly bureaucratic interventions. Consumers are more than capable of deciding with their wallets what works.
So surprised how amusing it is that the CRTC permit government propoganda n popoganda yet scramble to control streaming programs that are contrary or unauthorized or original. How Ironic n stupido n’est pas? Yah yah aye ha har de har har! What a SCAM!
Another needlessly hyper partisan article that only focuses on one side of the story and offers little nuance. And elsewhere today I see the pro Israel PR machine is in full propaganda mode here.
I have never used netflix or any other movie format. I do not care if netflix and their ilk pack up an go away. Why do we need them? That part was not addressed in the article. They are only providing entertainment content. Not something essential for life and the economy.
What would life be without entertainment?Us older folks won’t go to strip clubs anymore.