Why doesn't Canada get ESPN/TNT etc...?

anon2222 · Post #1 » by **anon2222** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:09 am

What is the reason that we do not get these channels? Is it because the government wants to limit American media/influence here? For a country that says it's democratic and free I find this so disappointing that the government wants to control these kinds of things.

matt2727 · Post #2 » by **matt2727** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:14 am

its because of regulations. it kinda sucks, but i guess they make a little sense.

99 Problems · Post #3 » by **99 Problems** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:16 am

What do you mean.. you CAN get it.. just not legally... get a satellite, its not that hard..

All I know is that this evil thing called the CRTC is behind it..Canada just needs to stop trying to make tv shows and open up the market.. because the homegrown stuff is absolute crap IMO..

Also, we're hardly on TNT/ESPN anyway....

Modern_epic · Post #4 » by **Modern_epic** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:19 am

anon2222 wrote:What is the reason that we do not get these channels? Is it because the government wants to limit American media/influence here? For a country that says it's democratic and free I find this so disappointing that the government wants to control these kinds of things.

What the **** does democracy have to do with anything here? We democratically elect governments that have no intention of changing this every 1-5 years. If you really want to change it, start/join a political party and get elected. That's how democracy works.

And don't get me started on the notion of a "free" country. Let's just say you wouldn't want to live in a really free country.

Taiyab_K · Post #5 » by **Taiyab_K** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:24 am

CRTC is **** ridiculous. Yeah, there is no actual way to get ESPN/TNT in Canada....unless you get those illegal satellites. I just wish we didn't get AMC, Peachtree...and all those useless channels, just give us something better.

evilRyu · Post #6 » by **evilRyu** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:27 am

Taiyab_K wrote:CRTC is **** ridiculous. Yeah, there is no actual way to get ESPN/TNT in Canada....unless you get those illegal satellites. I just wish we didn't get AMC, Peachtree...and all those useless channels, just give us something better.

Isn't Peachtree just the renamed TBS station in Atlanta?

AB_21 · Post #7 » by **AB_21** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:33 am

evilRyu wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Isn't Peachtree just the renamed TBS station in Atlanta?

Atlanta keeps TBS. We get stuck with Peachtree which is a very poor man's TBS.

dirtybird · Post #8 » by **dirtybird** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:36 am

Modern_epic wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

What the **** does democracy have to do with anything here? We democratically elect governments that have no intention of changing this every 1-5 years. If you really want to change it, start/join a political party and get elected. That's how democracy works.

I hardly think that anyone would vote to elect someone solely based on this issue, there are way more important things to consider. That doesn't mean that most Canadians either want or don't want more access to US TV networks.

Taiyab_K · Post #9 » by **Taiyab_K** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:36 am

evilRyu wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Isn't Peachtree just the renamed TBS station in Atlanta?

Yeah, TBS is good...but it isn't great.

WHO'S WITH ME FOR WANTING HBO...Screw show-case, oh la la la...13 y/o's source of porn... I wish we had HBO, Ali G was running on it when he was making episodes...tons of good stand-up and documentaries as well.

Trilogy · Post #10 » by **Trilogy** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:36 am

CRTC...

dagger · Post #11 » by **dagger** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:40 am

The cable and satellite companies import many US channels. Why they choose to import one channel vs another isn't decided by the CRTC, although the latter plays a role in which they can show, where it gets placed on the dial, etc. The main reason a channel is chosen is demand, and how much the cable/satellite companies have to pay for it and whether they can simulcast Canadian commercials.

ESPN is not something the distributors are really interested in, because the broad market doesn't really care about it. ESPN isn't pushing for it, because owns something like 30% of TSN. It doesn't want to undercut its own investment.

As for TNT, if it wasn't for two basketball games every Thursday, would you watch it? The cable providers took TBS because you get 30-40 Braves games a year, plus movies. But TBS pulled a fast one, transferred all of its sports content to a new channel, and renamed the old one Peachtree. Since the cable and satellite providers contracted for TBS, they are stuck with Peachtree and can't access the sports content on the new channel, which is one reason some important football or baseball game recently wasn't on Canadian TV at all.

InsaneRaptors · Post #12 » by **InsaneRaptors** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:43 am

These questions always come out, and first you have to consider how many Americans want to watch the Raptors? Also teams have to be good the previous year to get on the big U.S. channels, how often are Atlanta and Charlotte on the big networks.

anon2222 · Post #13 » by **anon2222** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 4:48 am

Modern_epic wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

What the **** does democracy have to do with anything here? We democratically elect governments that have no intention of changing this every 1-5 years. If you really want to change it, start/join a political party and get elected. That's how democracy works.

And don't get me started on the notion of a "free" country. Let's just say you wouldn't want to live in a really free country.

I understand and respect your point. I was describing Canada as a democratic and free country in comparison to many other countries around the world. Hence my point was that there ought to be more liberalism here with these kinds of things.

I am Canadian but I have lived in countries with authoritative governments that rule with an iron fist. Yet even over there they don't have this kind of bull on the media even though it may not be in their best interests to allow certain channels. Watching more American channels is not going to make me lose my national identity as a Canadian. I am not going to become more American if I watch their channels but yet the government here wants to force you to watch their content (legally speaking). I have also lived in a very "free" third world country and I plan on returning after finishing business here.

99 Problems · Post #14 » by **99 Problems** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:02 am

InsaneRaptors wrote:These questions always come out, and first you have to consider how many Americans want to watch the Raptors? Also teams have to be good the previous year to get on the big U.S. channels, how often are Atlanta and Charlotte on the big networks.

I think you're missing the point of this thread...

Taiyab_K · Post #15 » by **Taiyab_K** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:07 am

Warya wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I think you're missing the point of this thread...

Hahhaa,, beat me to it. When I read it..I said what exactly is he even arguing for. I said, nah I won't point it out...my reading comprehension isn't the greatest. Thanks for verifying.

whoknows · Post #16 » by **whoknows** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:16 am

The

CRTC has been controlling what can be seen on Canadian TV for too many years.

And ya, if you run a democratic opinion poll, I'm sure that Canadians would vote overwhelmingly in favor of getting HBO and other US channels including Nickelodeon, ESPN, Fox News, etc.
More info:

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20060807_131506_131506&source=srch

CRTC's dictatorship manages to keep us in the past so we can only watch reruns which our Southern neighbours have seen long before... :upset:

Of course fighting the :devil:

CRTC is futile since they are set up to "protect Canadian interest" (= approve what and how we should think)... :banghead:

Joker · Post #17 » by **Joker** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:24 am

Corner Gas >>>> The Sopranos

anon2222 · Post #18 » by **anon2222** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:30 am

whoknows wrote:The CRTC has been controlling what can be seen on Canadian TV for too many years.

And ya, if you run a democratic opinion poll, I'm sure that Canadians would vote overwhelmingly in favor of getting HBO and other US channels including Nickelodeon, ESPN, Fox News, etc.
More info:

http://www.macleans.ca/article.jsp?content=20060807_131506_131506&source=srch

CRTC's dictatorship manages to keep us in the past so we can only watch reruns which our Southern neighbours have seen long before...

Of course fighting the CRTC is futile since they are set up to "protect Canadian interest" (= approve what and how we should think)...

Exactly!

teamLeiweke · Post #19 » by **teamLeiweke** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 5:56 am

ESPN is on a different planet, when i go to the states, sports highlights and stories are so exciting when watching ESPN, I was in withdrawl coming back to tsn and sportsnet ontario... i see exactly where the players who visit canada are coming from.. also, the way canadian stations have hockey stories as the #1 stories and focus all their attention to hockey, espn in the winter focuses everything the same way towards basketball... well the majority at least. I wish we had it.

J Dilla · Post #20 » by **J Dilla** » Fri Jan 4, 2008 11:56 am

Trust me you don't wanna watch ESPN news or anything. Its garbage. Their higlights are no more than 25 seconds long and they talk football all day, like who the hell wants that. I'd rather watch the score.

For sports coverage, theres NBA league pass and stuff. You can get a bootleg satellite and you'll get those for free.