Media Content Regulation in Canada - Essay Example

The aim of this was to raise viewership of Canadian content with the intent to promote national identity and increase support for Canadian talent. The final essay will have a dipper analysis of the Broadcasting Act, Section 3(1) that sets out the general requirements for the broadcast of Canadian content. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission is a key player in terms of broadcasting policy, ensuring that private and public broadcasting systems follow the requirements of the Broadcasting Act for Canadian programming. The essay will also explain the way in which the MAPL system is used to categorize which music is Canadian as well as the detailed airtime requirement for radio and television and what a program must do to get classified as a Canadian program.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will be presented as an example of Canada’s national public broadcaster, which follows the requirements set for ‘Canadian content’ on radio and television. According to Armstrong (2010), in 2007-2008 the CBC aired 81 per cent Canadian programming during its primetime (p.116). The Broadcasting Policy in Canada and other readings in the course kit will provide a general idea about the creation of radio and television broadcasting as well as serve as a guide to the changes that Canadian broadcasting went through.

They will also help in taking a look at the different commissions that were established in order to make recommendations on the Canadian broadcasting system. The use of outside sources such as journal articles by Johansen, Boardman and Vipond will allow an in-depth look into the regulations on ‘Canadian content’. Some sources such as the CRTC and CBC websites will give a detailed description of the regulations that were imposed on Canadian broadcasting. This is in addition to providing information on current regulations that limit the exposure that Canadian viewers get to American programs and music.

In conclusion, the following essay will discuss the history and development of radio and television broadcasting in Canada. It will describe the different players (such as the Fowler Commission and the Broadcasting Board of Governors) and their contribution to Canadian radio and television broadcasting. Using Armstrong’s book and the CRTC website, my essay will provide a definition of what ‘Canadian content’ entails and the requirements that music and/or programs have to meet in order to be considered Canadian programming. My essay will also demonstrate what current requirements for ‘Canadian content’ are and the challenges it is facing.