Radio 3 is, arguably, the CBC's success story of the decade. I say arguably because you can argue about anything but if you choose to argue with the above statement, you're wrong.
Radio 3, in addition to the radio station, is one of the most successful podcasts in Canada, and one of the most popular music podcasts in the world. It is extremely popular with young people (an area in which the CBC usually strikes out) but not only with young people. I've personally talked with people from 14 to 50 who listen to Radio 3.
It is not only successful in it's own rite, it has helped to promote Canadian arts and culture (in this case music) and by extension Canada - something the CBC is supposed to do. It has made Canadian music increasingly popular not only in Canada but around the world and is, I believe, at least partially responsible for the rise of such acts as Broken Social Scene, the Arcade Fire, the New Pornographers, Feist, the Dears, the Stars, and the Hidden Cameras.
Now CBC television isn't doing as well as it could, especially with young people. It is also seeing an annual decline in funds (at least in terms of real dollars) - so why not capitalize and expand on what works?
The possible formats are numerous - a half hour once a week, a half hour 3 times a week, an hour once a week ... whatever works, (you could even stick in on after the Hour) but Radio 3 already has most of the content. Build the show primarily around Canadian music videos - throw in some music news (new albums, tour dates etc), add the occasional interview or even an in studio performance by whoever happens to be in town and viola, Radio 3 TV. It has a built in audience, can be promoted for free on Radio 3 (and even Radio 1 and 2) and it's cheap to produce.
I'm sure there's an excellent reason why not, but I can't think of what it would be personally.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
TV Continues it's decline
Before I start I should state that I must not be a TV person, or at least my tastes in Television do not match those of the audience they are after. Despite my high hopes last fall, my 'must watch' schedule for next fall is shorter than it has been in a long, long time. The new shows I liked the best from the AmNets this year (namely Studio 60 and the Black Donnely's) were axed, then Lost, 24 and House all proceeded to jump the shark.
For it's part the CBC cancelled Venture freeing up another half hour. The new programs they introduced didn't do much for me, and I'm less inclined to watch 'the Hour' than I was last year. For me talk shows are all about who the guests are and most of the time the Hour's guests this year just didn't do it for me. I like Gill Deacon generally, but her guests generally didn't do alot for me either (again, not it's target audience).
As for the rest of the CBC's new offerings, as I said at the beginning, I must not be a TV person. Sitcoms are not my thing. I liked BBC's the Office (not the US one though) and I liked CBC's the Newsroom but for the most part sitcoms become too predictable too quickly for me, the jokes become repetitive and I lose interest. Beyond that game shows and 'reality' shows stand almost no chance with me and medical dramas and police dramas (including courtroom, and espionage shows) have been done to such an extent in recent years that they face an hard, uphill battle from the word go. They must basically bring something brand new and exciting or I will tune out half way through the first preview. There was Dragon's Den, it was good. We'll see if it holds up in season 2.
I also have to say that the horizon is not promising. If you take out the sit coms, reality shows, game shows, police and medical dramas there isn't much (at least that has been announced so far) that sounds promising for next season. There is the CBC co-production the Tudors but personally, in all of European history, I can't think of a subject much less interesting than Henry VIII. Then there is Exposure, an idea I pitched to PBS back in 2001 so, obviously I like the idea. But in it's 11 pm Sunday timeslot I doubt I'll ever see it unless it is podcast.
So it turns out that the CBC had it's worst ratings in 5 years despite Rabinovich's statement of the opposite and the CRTC has decided to make it more profitable to import American programs, thus less desirable to make Canadian ones.
You might think that given everything I've said that I wouldn't care about the CRTC decision after all, if no one is making much that I like why should I care about how the funds are distributed? In fact I do care, very much. I just want them to make better programming.
I'm more than happy to advocate for greater arts and cultural funding in Canada overall. Arts and culture are woefully underfunded by any reasonable measure in Canada and, after all, great nations are remembered by their great works of art and other cultural expressions much more than for their economies, or militaries or anything else.
So I will continue to do all that I can to get more funding and exposure for Canadian artists in all fields, but please TV people - stop copying the Americans and importing formulas from Japan and Britain. Take risks, be creative, try new things, some of it will surely bomb, but some won't and I know that I am not alone when I say there is a vast audience in Canada waiting to watch new, original, compelling programming. You just have to meet them half way.
For it's part the CBC cancelled Venture freeing up another half hour. The new programs they introduced didn't do much for me, and I'm less inclined to watch 'the Hour' than I was last year. For me talk shows are all about who the guests are and most of the time the Hour's guests this year just didn't do it for me. I like Gill Deacon generally, but her guests generally didn't do alot for me either (again, not it's target audience).
As for the rest of the CBC's new offerings, as I said at the beginning, I must not be a TV person. Sitcoms are not my thing. I liked BBC's the Office (not the US one though) and I liked CBC's the Newsroom but for the most part sitcoms become too predictable too quickly for me, the jokes become repetitive and I lose interest. Beyond that game shows and 'reality' shows stand almost no chance with me and medical dramas and police dramas (including courtroom, and espionage shows) have been done to such an extent in recent years that they face an hard, uphill battle from the word go. They must basically bring something brand new and exciting or I will tune out half way through the first preview. There was Dragon's Den, it was good. We'll see if it holds up in season 2.
I also have to say that the horizon is not promising. If you take out the sit coms, reality shows, game shows, police and medical dramas there isn't much (at least that has been announced so far) that sounds promising for next season. There is the CBC co-production the Tudors but personally, in all of European history, I can't think of a subject much less interesting than Henry VIII. Then there is Exposure, an idea I pitched to PBS back in 2001 so, obviously I like the idea. But in it's 11 pm Sunday timeslot I doubt I'll ever see it unless it is podcast.
So it turns out that the CBC had it's worst ratings in 5 years despite Rabinovich's statement of the opposite and the CRTC has decided to make it more profitable to import American programs, thus less desirable to make Canadian ones.
You might think that given everything I've said that I wouldn't care about the CRTC decision after all, if no one is making much that I like why should I care about how the funds are distributed? In fact I do care, very much. I just want them to make better programming.
I'm more than happy to advocate for greater arts and cultural funding in Canada overall. Arts and culture are woefully underfunded by any reasonable measure in Canada and, after all, great nations are remembered by their great works of art and other cultural expressions much more than for their economies, or militaries or anything else.
So I will continue to do all that I can to get more funding and exposure for Canadian artists in all fields, but please TV people - stop copying the Americans and importing formulas from Japan and Britain. Take risks, be creative, try new things, some of it will surely bomb, but some won't and I know that I am not alone when I say there is a vast audience in Canada waiting to watch new, original, compelling programming. You just have to meet them half way.
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