Outgoing CRTC Head Says Technology Is Eroding Canadian Culture 404
Patchw0rk F0g writes "Canada's outgoing CRTC head, Konrad von Finckenstein, has some choice words for his successor: Internet and wireless technology has disarmed federal regulators of their weapons to protect cultural identity. The retiring Finckenstein cites over-the-top broadcasting, new Internet technologies and (perhaps most importantly) the fact that the CRTC is antiquated and can't keep up with these emerging technologies as factors in the (still)-growing culture-loss of Canada to the U.S. 'We have now moved into an era where the consumer is in control, and where thanks to the Internet and mobile devices, you cannot control access any more,' he said in one of his last interviews."
As if this is a bad thing. (Score:3, Interesting)
"We have now moved into an era where the consumer is in control, and where thanks to the Internet and mobile devices, you cannot control access any more,' he said in one of his last interviews."
Good. Out with the old, in with the new. Seeya, sucker.
I would like someone to define "Canadian culture" for me, because I can't seem to find a single one that you can call "Canadian."
Is it English Canada or French Canada, or is it Polish, Scottish, Chinese, or Malaysian?
That's not to even bring up Greek Town over by Queen St East.
Ouzo for everyone!
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BMO
Re:As an American... (Score:4, Interesting)
I'll back up your point about successful Canadian content here in the US. I've also noticed an interesting side-effect of the CanCon rules . . . There's a hell of a lot of CanCon on American TV. A lot of it is pretty good, and you wouldn't notice it except for the northern accents (which don't vary that much from northern states) and an occasinoal "eh", more frequent on documentary/reality shows (e.g. anything with Mike Holmes) than on works of fiction.
Re:Culture loss? (Score:4, Interesting)
Personally I couldn't care less; I already see us as the 51st state. Let us have Pandora and Hulu already!
But for many Canadians, the protection and nurturing of Canadian culture in the shadow of the U.S. is a preoccupation and an imperative.
Re:Culture loss? (Score:5, Interesting)
Agreed, but I'm CERTAINLY not very eager to become the 51st state. I came back after living in the US for many years and I'm very glad I did.
I find the culture here to be far superior in many sense. There is much less of the corrosive attitudes of entitlement and arrogance that I see in the US (there still is some, just less). There is also much stronger sense of community in most places I've been in Canada, and a more trusting attitude.
Plus, the political ideas are different. In Toronto, the subway is free on New Years. Maybe they will lose some money but they will make millions of people happy and could save some lives from drunk driving. Isn't that what the government is for? To spend a little money at the right time to make people happy, help build community and protect individuals? Brilliant!
I have never seen a US city consider making public services free on a holiday. It seems almost like it is opposed to the core values of much of the US.
I also see here, almost nowhere do they just assume you want a paper or plastic bag in the grocery store and if you do, you have to pay for it. More than half of shoppers bring their own canvas/cloth bags and I live in a conservative suburb and many walk to the store, despite owning cars. The only places I ever see that in the US are very liberal spots like Southern California or Boston.
Culture Loss or Culture Change. (Score:5, Interesting)
And there are always people who get pissed off by this natural effect.
You get those crazy Romans who take over a culture, if they didn't kill every man, woman and child, usually caused a portion of their culture to rub off to the entire roman empire, although the conquered people usually get the biggest culture shift. However if the mighty Roman Empire could be switched to Christianity, which has been a small sect in an outskirt territory. Putting all debates about religion aside it shows how globalization effects all cultures involved.
So now in the 21st century We have near instant globalization of ideas and products. So cultures are changing. They are not going away but they are changing and are being effected by outside sources. Americans know about the music and shows available in Japan, or in India, we can talk to people from these areas and make friends of them. Also vice-verse a lot of countries that are newer to globalization feel more threaten then others, because their culture has been isolated for so long that their culture has been the same for a long time, however forces are causing it to change. Ideas on morality, politics, and stereotypes are becoming more diverse and the culture is changing to either accept these new ideas or reject them... But these new ideas are out there to be thought about, and they are changing culture more rapidly then what everyone was used to.
Many Americans are threatened by the ideas from Asia and the Middle East, as well these groups are threatened by Western ideas. They put to call our ideas of morality and what is right and wrong.
Re:The Canadian MAFIAA (Score:4, Interesting)
What's really funny is, the US has long since lost it's various cultures. When I was a kid, traveling meant meeting people who spoke differently, thought differently, people with different histories and cultures.
Today? There is little variance between a fast food restaurant in New York or LA, and there is little difference in culture along any route between the two cities.
I wouldn't be smug about any nation becoming like America, because we've lost much more than we gained in the last 50 years.