MIT2000 104/19/23

TV History (Part II)

MIT2000 204/19/23

Television in Canada

1. No TV stations pre: 1952

1. 100,000+ watching US TV

2. Business complaints

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Massey Commission (1949-51)

1. Vincent Massey

2. Federal Cultural Policy

3. High Culture1. democracy

2. critical-thinking citizens

3. US mass culture

4. Public broadcasting1. CBC-controlled

2. High culture

MIT2000 404/19/23

CBC: Broadcaster/Regulator 1952-58

1. Public-private model1. similar to radio

2. 2 CBC stations (Tor, Mon)

3. private affiliates

2. Why?1. geography

2. demography

3. TV productions costs

4. US/TV

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Rapid Growth

1. 1960: 6 CBC stations (47 total)

1. Reach 90% of pop

2. 1961: 83% homes w/ TV

1. 6 hours daily viewing

2. high cost of TVs

3. One-station-per-city rule

4. CBC only network until 1961 (CTV)

MIT2000 604/19/23

Cable TV

1. Antennae/co-axial cable bring signals to home

2. 1950s: rural areas

3. 1964: 4% of homes

4. Why Slow Growth?1. Phone Companies

2. State/CRTC Regulation

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Cable TV: Growth Years

1. Cabled households1. 1970 42%

2. 1974 61%

3. 1985 77%

2. US network transmission allowed early 1970s

MIT2000 804/19/23

TV Viewing (1960)

1. CBC: 48 hrs/week programming1. affiliates carry CBC service

2. Popular US shows (Walt Disney, Leave it to Beaver)

3. Don Messer, Hockey Night in Canada

2. Time Regulator/ Dayparts 1. daytime; after-school; primetime,

MIT2000 904/19/23

CBC & Advertising (Rutherford)

1. Early 1950s: limited role

1. no direct role in program content

2. Growing reliance: by late 1950s

1. half shows ad sponsored

2. Advertising pays 41% of expenses

3. Why?

MIT2000 1004/19/23

TV Advertising (Rutherford)

1. “‘Show window” in home1. ‘personalized’, ‘face-to-face’

selling

2. Steady, not rapid, growth1. 12% of ad total (1971)

2. national, not local

3. hourly restrictions (12 min)

4. high prod. & air-time costs

3. Indirect to Direct (spot) ads

1960s TV Commercials

Canadian Advertising Museumhttp://www.canadianadvertisingmuseum.com/

history.php?r=2Nestle, Anacin, Craven, Highways, Rose

MIT2000 1104/19/23

McLuhan/Medium Theory

Oral Culture Literate/Print Culture Electronic Culture

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Oral Culture/McLuhan

Ear culture/speech Closed society

Interdependent Communal

Circularity, Cyclical Balance of senses Time-bias

MIT2000 1304/19/23

Literate/Print Culture Eye over Ear Shared to separate

experiences Introspective/abstract

thinking

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Literate/Print Culture Circular to Linear Homogeneity/ Standardization

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Electronic Culture/ McLuhan Re-tribalization

Secondary orality Sensory experiences

Words (again) as events not object from separate to shared spheres

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Electronic Culture/ McLuhan less-hierarchical; participatory;

decentralized Strong effect in West

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Electronic: Hot/Cool Radio: Hot TV: Cool Communication Style Passive/active

audiences

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CBC: “The World is a Global Village” http://www.youtube.c

om/watch?v=HeDnPP6ntic

Discuss: cell phone calling and texting

MIT2000 1904/19/23

MIT2000 2004/19/23

US TV Content & CDA

1. Global US Celebrity Culture

2. Higher Production Values

3. US imports1. “I Love Lucy”; “Jackie

Gleason” on CBC

4. CDN shows predominate1. news, public affairs, sports

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CDN Content Regulations (1960)

1. 55% broadcast time as CDN shows

1. cheap CDN game shows1. Showdown, Party Game,

Let’s Make a Deal,

2. “Imports cost less and earn more”

MIT2000 2204/19/23

CDN Content Regulations (today)

1. Today: 60% overall (50% 6-12PM) for Broadcast TV

2. Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO) & CanCon

3. Speciality Channels Differ (e.g. MuchMusic)

MIT2000 2304/19/23

Broadcasting Act, 1968

1. Canadian Radio-Television Commission

1. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission -1976

2. regulatory agency -private/public broadcasting

3. regulate cable TV

4. stronger Canadian content rules

5. ‘arms-length’ role from government

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CRTC (Today)

1. Regulate “all aspects” of CDN broadcasting system

1. TV, cable distribution, AM/FM radio, pay/specialty TV; Direct-to-Home satellite

2. ca. 3,300 broadcasters

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Objectives of Broadcast Regulation

1. Technology (Spectrum)2. Access 3. Quality/CDN Content4. Domestic Production/

Cultural Industry

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Specialty TV (Pay, Pay-Per-View)

1. Require cable/satellite 1. not over-the-air

transmission

2. Subscription revenues (plus advertising)

3. Narrowcasting1. market segmentation

MIT2000 2704/19/23

MIT2000 2804/19/23

MuchMusic (1984-)/ Wagman

1. Sound recording industry

2. Federal Cultural policy1. cultural nationalism to

cultural industries

3. Broadcasters (CHUM)

4. Political Economy