CTV and Global suggest that their programming is attractive enough to Canadian viewers that it is driving significant growth in the subscribed customer base of the BDUs. They make this assertion without any empirical evidence to support it. Instead, they presume that Canadians find their programming compelling enough to explain the success of the BDUs in subscriber growth.

The argument is arrogant and counter-intuitive. With the exception of the reasonable investment made by CTVgm and, in some communities Canwest, in local and national news programming, these companies offer virtually no original programming and next to no contribution to the Canadian experience or identity. Unlike CTVgm, I do not rely on intuition to make this argument, but rather, their programming line-up. Of the twenty-nine programs that CTV’s website lists as “Primetime”, exactly five (5) of these represent Canadian programming. Of these five (5), one is simply an entertainment magazine show (eTalk) and the other (So You Think You Can Dance Canada) is nothing more than a Canadian recasting of an American show. Certainly neither represents significant creativity and no one can realistically suggest that anyone would sign up for a BDU for either of these programs. That leaves exactly three (3) original Canadian programs (Degrassi: The Next Generation, Corner Gas, and Flashpoint) for which CTVgm can claim any credit before the Commission.

The situation at Canwest is no different. For the sample week of March 29, 2009 through April 4, 2009, between the same “Primetime” hours as the CTVgm comment above, Canwest plans to air on its primary network exactly seven (7) hours of Canadian programming. Like CTVgm, this includes a Canadian recasting of an American show (Project Runway Canada) and an entertainment magazine (Entertainment Tonight Canada). That leaves a paltry three and one-half (3.5) hours of Canadian programming for the entire week, ninety (90) minutes of which is a one-off awards show.

Do Canwest and CTVgm really expect the Commission to believe that anyone should find their argument that the BDU’s are reaping a benefit from this overwhelmingly substantive contribution to Canadian culture, identity, and consciousness? And yes, the comment is intended to be laced with sarcasm and derision. That is the least they should expect for their arrogance in making such specious and disingenuous arguments.

CTVgm and Canwest claim that they require simultaneous substitution to support their efforts in original Canadian programming. I see no evidence of that in their programming line-ups. Of the $840,108,340 revenue that CTVgm discloses in support of their filing, they spend $75,476,342 on non-news and information Canadian programming. Are we, as viewers and BDU subscribers, supposed to be grateful for this 8.9% largesse on the part of CTVgm? Is that supposed to justify fee-for-carriage? We should not be grateful and it does not justify fee-for-carriage.

The Canwest example is no better. Of the $548,775,067 revenue disclosed by Canwest in support of their filing, they spend $35,442,757 on non-news and information programming, or a mere 6.4%.

Pathetic. Simply pathetic.

Well, they're not. CTV just said they're closing two unprofitable A stations and Canwest is trying to get rid of five stations that make up its secondary E! network.

Enough with these conglomerates, hopefully this recession will bring down a few giant media companies, put them in their place. Content is king and you can find content on the internet, you don't need stinking cable or satellite companies forcing big honking packages down our throats with channels that air the same crap over and over and watered down, pathetic excuse for local stations. Shows like ET Canada should NOT be considered Cancon when they largely deal with the US industry anyway.

They are whining because right now they have it easy, they produce little to no primetime series as it is, relying solely on US productions and largely to simsub. They've done it for years, while other countries instead of focusing on importing US shows franchise a show, an example was "Who wants to be a millionaire?" .. this show was franchised around the world but in Canada we ended up having the US version imported, even though the applicant rules of the show forbid Canadians applying to be a contestant.

Let's not forget about some critically acclaimed series that have been shot in Canada but as soon as the US network cancels it none of our domestics even consider picking it up. "Dead Like Me" is a great example, Showtime canceled it because the head of the network didn't like the show, it was shot in Vancouver and could have easily been carried on by a domestic broadcaster in our country, it would have found a new home in the US eventually as it reruns there still to this day. But no, the domestic broadcasters just sit back without the need to actually green light much in the way of production, they let the US do it for them and largely consider ratings from the US network.

If they dislike this new proposal then let them get out of the broadcast industry and let someone who is willing to support our domestic productions give it a shot. English speaking countries like the UK seem to manage and have a thriving production industry in place without relying almost exclusively on US imports. CTV and Global still want to put thousands out of work by gutting local production but they still want to make money and the best method is for them to rely almost exclusively on US programming. Why is it the big Seattle TV stations we can all see on our BDU's manage to maintain such a great news focus and yet they have about 1/2 the population of Calgary? Seattle population is around 600,000 .. throw in the surrounding areas and it is likely a bit over a million .. Calgary is over a million people but seemingly our broadcasters cannot manage to keep a 24/7 news crew going. What gives? Is it salaries are too high? Surely the workers would be willing to take a bit of a cut if it means they'd save their jobs. What is making this local news production too expensive to produce these days? Something doesn't add up.

What about all the jobs lost when CTV bought CHUM and Global bought Alliance Atlantis? What about all the recent layoffs, are we just conveniently brushing those job losses under the carpet?!

As for the 'way' they found to make money- lowering local programming, hey that's brilliant why not just get rid of all of it while we are at it?! This is pathetic and exactly what you would expect from media giants, all they care about is cutting costs and increasing profits. Sorry that doesn't work for me, a local station needs local programming if you cut that back then what is the point of keeping the station on the air so they can fill it with crappy Cancon or the shows they acquired from the US?! This solution of fees and cutbacks in programming is a solution that benefits the broadcasters NOT the viewers therefore it is not acceptable IMO, so back to the drawing board...

This 1:1 proposal sounds great (but it still may not be enough). They want to run a CANADIAN television station they have to air Canadian programming. No easy rides anymore, programming expenditures should be equal.

I don't understand why OTA television is doing well around the world including in the US and here in Canada it’s considered a money pit? There are many channels available in Europe over the air, be they terrestrially or via satellite, why are those systems making money and the Canadian one isn't? I will tell you why, because thanks to Canada being situated next to the USA, the broadcasters here have gotten a free ride riding the coattails of the US broadcasters, buying programming on the cheap and raking in the $$ without having to do much in return. It’s a nice easy gig for the likes of CTV and Global, who to do virtually nothing to air these shows except buy the rights and sit back and relax, but all good things must come to an end at some point.

There are the job losses, thousands have likely already been laid off as it is. Meanwhile the Canadian networks are buying more US programming than ever before. At the same time the ads are all usually for big ad purchasers, there aren't a lot of true local ads being shown, likely because they've priced those out of reach for most local businesses.

One of the problems is that Canadian content has been "sabotaged". They fill-up their Cancon requirements with cheap garbage and put it mainly into timeslots when the fewest people are watching. This practice gives people the impression that Canadian content is, by default, garbage. They figure that if enough people want Cancon gone, it will be gone, and they're trying to speed it up.

The Canadian nets have ruined OTA TV on purpose thus driving people away from it and towards cable/satellite and now they are saying it’s not profitable and are sticking their grubby hands out and asking for a handout (fee for carriage) from the CRTC. I think it’s time CTV & Global got out of the OTA business. Why do they continue to hang on to these stations if they are not profitable? Corporations exist solely to make money, so if they are not making money on this business why do they keep it running... because they want the cash grab that will bring in more $$ and allow them to continue to buy American and fill the Cancon slots with filler crap!!! That’s it.

With their addict-like dependence on U.S. shows (very much enabled and encouraged by the CRTC's enforcing of simultaneous substitutions), - 'Hey, just let us have even more of the U.S. stuff and less Cancon, we promise it will improve things this time’, CTV and Global seem incapable of doing anything else. It's been obvious for years now that simsubbing is harmful, regardless of its alleged intent. It should not only cease but be outlawed. If money is to be earned in Canada from Canadians viewing American shows, with the intention of funding Canadian productions, let's find a way to do it that does not involve the money going through CTV and Global, who have proven they can't be trusted. Their simsub abuses need to be stopped altogether and CTV and Global have to be sent to rehab to help re-invent Canadian television.

If Canwest were to change only primary transmitters to digital, and the CRTC refused to move its base to Montreal, does that mean there would no longer be forced selection of Global and simulcast to Montreal cable subscribers?

If they can’t "make money with adversiting", the solution is obvious: either cut expenses (in reality, jobs), increase advertising rates or simply shut down.

Look at the “market pie”. This is ridiculous! How many “channels” are they? 100? 200?

How could they ALL pretend to be profitable?