Product Description
This book takes an in-depth look at the formidable challenges facing the Canadian television industry at the dawn of the twenty-first century. The current consensus within the industry alternates between a paternalistic model that promotes national culture and identity, and a laissez-faire approach that calls for a large-scale de regulation of the industry. To better understand why the industry is confronted with this difficult choice, the authors begin by exploring a number of key political decisions that have helped shape the way television is integrated into the Canadian social fabric. First, they consider the complex relationship between the nation, state and culture in the political formation of a sovereign country, and the often delicate balance between culture and polity. Secondly, they look at the impact of multiculturalism and globalization on the regulatory framework and the potential development of international markets and audiences. Thirdly, they examine the nature of the audience and the cultural value of television as a 'mass' medium. Lastly, the technological environment is addressed and the subsequent impact on the cultural value of meaning is considered. From this careful examination, the authors demonstrate that in order for the Canadian television industry to survive, it must organise itself around new conceptions of multiculturalism, globalization, and technological determinism. The authors thus contend that the industry must embrace a more heterogeneous model of languages, cultures, and viewing strategies, with the ultimate goal of re-imagining the nation by the revitalisation of one of the principal cultural conduits of national identity.
