Canadian Television Today

By Bart Beaty and Rebecca Sullivan

$24.95 sc
Available Now
ISBN 1-55238-222-2
EAN 978-1-55238-222-6
200 pp.
5" x 8"
Index, Notes, Bibliography

Media Studies

About the Book

Canadian Television Today takes a 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 ìmassî 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 nize itself around new conceptions of multiculturalism, globalization, and technological determinism. The authors thus contend that the industry must embrace a more heterogenous model of languages, cultures, and viewing strategies, with the ultimate goal of re-imagining the nation by the revitalization of one of the principal cultural conduits of national identity.

For 2007 review from Canada Review see:  http://www.reviewcanada.ca/current.html
 

About the Author

Bart Beaty and Rebecca Sullivan are associate professors in the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary. They have both written and published extensively on cultural studies and issues in communication theory.

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