"If this cruel, loudmouth extremist is the cream of the Democratic crop, next November's going to make the 1984 election look like a squeaker." --House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) on Howard Dean
But seriously, that's just bizarre... I mean, yeah, I'll be the first to admit there's a truckload of shitty "downfall of Western civilization"-level TV coming out of the States, but there's plenty of stuff worth watching, too.
The weird thing is, if it weren't for the "programs authorized by the government" stuff all this would be is a story about cracking down on cable piracy and black/grey market satellite dishes... perfectly normal stuff.
Kansas-born and deeply ashamed The last living La Parka Marka
"They that can give up essential liberty to gain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
I believe it's mainly due to wanting to maintain certain levels of "Canadian content" as is mandated by the CRTC. If cable providers can give us a Canadian sports network (TSN) instead of the obviously far superoir American one (ESPN), they will. Virtually every American cable station has a bastardized Canadian step-cousin up here.
Illegal satellite hook ups are all over the place up here. I knew a guy who set up a post office box in upstate NY (just on the other side of the Ontario border at Cornwall) so he could get a US satellite. I moved into my first apartment here in Calgary ONLY because it had ESPN and HBO.
I'm Canadian born and raised, but have lived in the States on and off for about 4 years. Trust me, if I never had to watch these Canadian channels again, I'd be happy.
I was stuck in a traffic jam yesterday going through a residential neighbourhood and it was amazing how many of the houses have DirecTV satellite dishes, given that DirecTV is not available in Canada.
Up until last year, you could buy a dish and receiver in Canada, until the CRTC stepped in and made it illegal to sell or distribute these dishes. Still, everyone who has one of these dishes seems to have a way around all the legalities, much like with music downloading.
I don't think the issue at stake isn't so much evil American programs as it is all the revenue lost for cable and satellite companies. I'm surprised DirecTV hasn't created a Canadian presence, as I'm sure there's a core group of people who would subscribe legally up here if it was available.
(flag-waving alert)Personally, it's amazing the amount of choice available on these satellites, but I prefer having Canadian content-Newsworld rather than CNN, Matchmaker over Blind Date, Michael Landsberg over...whoever is on ESPN, etc.
Originally posted by The GoonPersonally, it's amazing the amount of choice available on these satellites, but I prefer having Michael Landsberg over...whoever is on ESPN, etc.
Any and all respect I had for you is now gone, Mister! You actually prefer that sweater-wearing moron over, say, Dan Patrick? :)
They're insecure over how Americanized our televison viewing is, and so in response made up a bunch of Orwellian laws designed to regulate how much foreign (read; American) shows we watch.
In principle, I have no problem with a President appointing a Justice right before, or after, an election. But if Garland didn't get a vote, then neither should any Trump appointment. Fair is fair.