Nintendo Wii Scores Netflix… But Why?

[Ares]

Wayde what kind of regs are you talking about?

 

[Wayde Robson]

Wayde what kind of regs are you talking about?

The worst kind of business protectionism.

Look at the mission statement of the CRTC - (Canada Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission) and compare it to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) in in the US. You'll see a flawed and I say evil philosophy at work in the Canadian government.

CRTC:
"To ensure that Canadian communications contribute fairly and equitably to Canada's economic, social and cultural prosperity through regulation, supervision and public dialogue."
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/ENG/BACKGRND/GUIDE.HTM

FCC:
"The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable."
http://www.fcc.gov/aboutus.html

It's truly scary when a government charges itself with the social and cultural prosperity of its people.

The CRTC's Canadian Content regulation dictates a minimum amount of Canadian artists on any radio station operating here.

But the really insidious part of the CRTC is where it protects "Canadian business", especially where some of that Canadian business is actually the government itself, like the CBC.

The CRTC and that protectionist philosophy is why wireless data costs more per-meg than any other country in the world. It's also why streaming video/music technologies don't work and won't make it to Canada for a very long time. Good luck ever seeing a streaming library of movies in Canada for a low monthly fee. Same for music.

My dad lives in the US and is an engineer for Comcast, he used to be an engineer for McLean Hunter in Canada. We moved down there back in the 80s.

He grew up in an era that was a wild frontier for technology in Canada, Canadian telecommunications was second to none and we produced world-class engineers that were needed all over the globe. This is changing - despite great schools like U of Waterloo.

The greed of the CRTC and the companies it protects like Bell and Rogers are ironically forcing Canada into the tech-backwaters. New industries are developing around the world that Canadian entrepreneurs are isolated from because of CRTC regulations.

RIM is one of Canada's great success stories. But the CRTC has ensured that cannot happen again. In fact many of the technologies developed in Waterloo are launched in the US before they're launched in Canada, some will probably never make it (to Canada). For instance.... you can't stream Internet radio in Canada over a wireless digital network. Any business based on wireless spectrum as an asset is too cost-prohibitive to operate in Canada, it's why Canada didn't get the iPhone until after a long battle between Apple and Rogers.

To tell the truth, Apple doesn't need Canada's business and is better off without it. Apple's 'real' business isn't to sell iPhones, but to sell content on iTunes. The idea of wireless sales direct to handset is neutered here in Canada.

I live and work in Waterloo - RIM practically owns this city and is its biggest employer. I am in marketing for a small tech-company in Waterloo that is a Blackberry Alliance partner, we develop technologies that make the Blackberry better.

We have the US to thank for RIM's success. The company would be nowhere without a US market to serve.

Jeez, I should just a feature article on this topic.

 

[Ares]

All I can say is WTF!, protectionism is never a could thing especially when it comes to technology. I guess this is one of the reasons why you guys pay so much more for A/V gear than we do which sucks. They need to change with the times because those that refuse to adapt will become extinct.

 

[Wayde Robson]

those that refuse to adapt will become extinct.

So true, Ares!

I've long criticized the CRTC's effort to "protect Canadian culture": If such a culture exists that requires government protection, it deserves nothing more than a very quick murder.

As an old school, beer drinking, hockey and hi-fi loving Canadian that loves snow and ice and believes in supporting its military and allies - I've known for years that the CRTC and its Ministry of Truth; the CBC, ain't trying to protect my culture.

 

[Ares]

So true, Ares!

I've long criticized the CRTC's effort to "protect Canadian culture": If such a culture exists that requires government protection, it deserves nothing more than a very quick murder.

As an old school, beer drinking, hockey and hi-fi loving Canadian that loves snow and ice and believes in supporting its military and allies - I've known for years that the CRTC and its Ministry of Truth; the CBC, ain't trying to protect my culture.

Wayde tell me how you really feel about CRTC. Is your team part of the Original Six?

 

[Wayde Robson]

Is your team part of the Original Six?

I like all six of the orig six, with the exception of the Habs. A lot of good Canadians forget they're supposed to 'hate' (in a fun rivalry sort of way) the Montreal Canadians... not me.

1/ Toronto Maple Leafs, long suffering fan to the bitter end. 'nuff said.

2/ Boston Bruins, always been a fan of the club, never been to Boston but I'd love to go. I'd wear a Bruins jersey, go to an Irish pub and revel in it the whole time. Wayne Cashman, Terry O'Rielly, Bobby Orr, Cam Neely... how can any red-bloody hockey fan not love the Bruins?

3//// pretty much the rest of the orig six. Sometimes its Blackhawks or the Rangers, Wings - I like 'em all. I love Wings/Hawks games, they've always been great rivals. Ditto for Wings/Leafs games. I love the Rangers/Phili rivalry because I don't care for the Flyers much. Nothing personal to the great city of Phili but that club has always been pretty weasely. They pretend to be tough (broad street bullies) but it was Phili that invented the "dive". Yeah, his name was Bill Barber. Pretend you're hurt and roll around on the ice and draw a penalty - you'd think he was a Czech.

I respect the hell out of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars - I hope they do well annually.

My picks for the Winter Olympics.....

Team Canada Gold

Team USA Silver

Who cares about the rest.

I love the rivalries, if I seem a bit too serious, it's just all in fun. I look forward to seeing the team USA puts on the ice. Team Russia is going to be amazing ditto for Sweden and I always love to watch the Fins.

Winter Olympic hockey is going to be awesome!

 

[Ares]

I haven't missed a Hawks home game since I was a kid, I'm like all the Six except for the Wings can't stand the Wings I'll stop there before it turns into a rant. Nothing like drinking a cold beer and watching the game which I will be doing @ 6:30C to watch the Hawks Vs Senators. Just to stay on topic do you think CRTC will change it's position in the near future and are they just hostile to Tech companies from outside Canada?

 

[j_garcia]

I haven't missed a Hawks home game since I was a kid, I'm like all the Six except for the Wings can't stand the Wings I'll stop there before it turns into a rant. Nothing like drinking a cold beer and watching the game which I will be doing @ 6:30C to watch the Hawks Vs Senators. Just to stay on topic do you think CRTC will change it's position in the near future and are they just hostile to Tech companies from outside Canada?

Well then you probably don't want to talk hockey with me I'm a Sharks fan, and also a Wings fan even though we have a pretty good rivalry with them...

 

[Ares]

I have no problem talking hockey with ya, Sharks are looking good this year and the Wings are in a good place this year 3rd.

 

[j_garcia]

I have no problem talking hockey with ya, Sharks are looking good this year and the Wings are in a good place this year 3rd.

haha. SJ is my hometown and I was born right up the street from the Tank (long before there was a Shark Tank ). Great team, but I was a little disapointed last year after how well we had done all year. Still my team though.

I have been a fan of the Wings for a while too, just not when they are playing us I liked the Yzerman/Scotty years.

 

[Wayde Robson]

Big respect to the Sharks and Hawks. I especially like the Hawks and the rivalry with the Wings.

Ares, I hope you're not a Chelios disser cause he defected to the Wings. You have to realize that there are two things the Wings almost never produce at home - defencemen or goalies. The Wings have always had to take them from other teams, it's just natural law.

The exception of course is Nick Lidstrom. In Detroit they probably think of him as the best-ever D-man, but that's how they roll in Detroit.

I lived a good part of my life in the Detroit. I got to see the Wings go from the Dead Things in the 80s to winning a cup in the late 90s. I was usually indifferent but I have a fondness for Yzerman. Of course I loved that rivalry in the early 90s with Chelios and Roenic as Hawks and the up-and-coming Wings.

I loved seeing the Sharks as the Wings spoilers in the 90s, taking them out of the playoffs early. The Sharks always seemed to enforce the President’s Trophy curse. But nowadays it's the Sharks being bitten by that President's Trophy curse.

Sharks have a great team though. It's only a matter of time. The Hawks have one of those up-and-coming teams you just can't help but root for with all those younger stars.

On the CRTC

Canada just auctioned off a bunch of bandwidth, just like the US recently. For the first time Canada is going to see companies that aren't Rogers (GSM) and Bell (CDMA) provide wireless digital services. New companies with new plans and waiving fees that we'd grown accustomed to seem to be the future trend.

But, it's too slow, possibly too late. I'm a firm believer in free trade. If AT&T came to Canada and offered what it offers to Americans in Canada, Rogers and Bell would burn and I would play fiddle. **** Rogers and Bell!

They've had a monopoly on Canadian tech far too long. The CRTC is the enabler and the CBC is their cheerleader. The only good thing to come out of the CBC lately is Don Cherry and Hockey Night in Canada. The rest of it can go to hell!

The CRTC honestly thinks that MTV re-runs of the "Real World" or “Jersey Shore” being broadcast across Canada would hurt Canadian culture... damn... if that were true, Canadian culture is already dead and good riddance to it.

To compete globally Canada needs to open up that wild-west mentality it once had.

One more anecdote and I promise to stop and go to bed....

Once upon a time, when Canada was the first word in telecommunications... The very first coast-to-coast simulcast was performed. A radio broadcast went from Newfoundland to Vancouver B.C. and every Canadian rejoiced because it was the first time such a feat was ever accomplished anywhere in the world.

It was Foster Hewitt calling a Leafs - Hawks game back in 33-34 NHL hockey season. How soon we forget our history. We did this in Canada because as a nation we wanted our hockey. We didn’t need a CRTC or some politically correct government regulator. We just needed a will and found a way.

Cheers, good night!