Canadian Media

I like keeping up with news media. I trust them to report at a series of levels:

• local: e.g., Muskoka
• regional: Central Ontario
• provincial: Ontario
• national: CRTC hearings
• continental: North American climate change issues
• international news - flooding in England

I keep wondering why I bother to read Canadian 'news', though.  Or to listen to our radio broadcasts. Much of the content is based on American shows, which might be fine, except that the hosts don't ask question to get to a Canadian viewpoint.

I turned to my Globe and Mail and saw this Arts headline: Oprah's on the phone: 'It was like God called me'

Don't get me wrong, I am an avid Oprah fan, and that is my business, but if I wanted to read about her I would. Elsewhere. I trust Canadian media to present a Canadian viewpoint, to ask questions on how this impacts us, as Canadian, or to at least cover Canadian content and Canadian arts. This is a sadly disapppointing 'article'. I don't blame the writer, but the editors who choose content.

In a CBC Freshair interview about a show I like, The Border, the kind, caring Ms. Ito asked why they kept it thoughtfully Canadian, set in Toronto. I do not know if this is a planted question, but I thought it bizarre. We need to be flogging Canadian content, featuring Canadian films, TIFF and other venues for our actors, film directors, and producers.

We need to have a Canadian take on The Arts. Not just a flogging of US shows, books or actors. Freshair seems to feature a number of Canadian literature and actors, not the US content other CBC shows feature. Good on you.

Why can't there be local shows that feature small films that might only be viewed in venues like TIFF, or that great cinema in Ottawa: The Mayfair? These films do not make it into the big theatres, which feature mainly big-time US films. Perhaps, this is something CBC could do. Why not? I'd rather my tax dollars go there, than any where else. Promote Canada and Canadians.