So I'd like to take a break from the local tv issue, to talk about another issue I have with tv in general. Ever turn on one of your favorite shows, or a movie, and just after the commercial you here "The following program contains violence, coarse language, and sexuality. Viewer discretion is advised"? Of course you have. The part I love though is the "Viewer discretion is advised". Viewer discretion comes into play as soon as you turn on the tv. Hell, just opening your eyes is the beginning of viewer discretion. So why do we need the broadcaster to inform us that viewer discretion is advised? Some may argue that it allows parents to know whether or not a certain program is acceptable for their child to watch. I disagree. If you are really concerned about your childs tv habits, then sit down and watch the show yourself, and use your own judgement. Does these notifications make a difference to me? Not in the least, but I just find it's pointless. Let me know what you think

So yesterday I received an email from Bell regarding the issue of the proposed tv tax. As a customer of Bell (expressvu) they wanted to inform me of the possibility of a tv tax being imposed on me, by the CRTC to help fund local tv. "The CRTC has been asked to do this by having Bell and the other operators pay more, which would result in higher fees for you." Which would result in higher fees for me? Why should I pay more, the cable companies are the ones turning a profit off of local tv, heaven forbid their profit margin should decrease. "The CRTC has told satellite and cable companies to hand over $100 million a year as of September 1, 2009. These fees are being passed on to you." Again, why are these fees being passed on to me? And nice wording "hand over" makes it sound like it's not a legitmate claim. "If the CRTC gives in to the broadcasters’ latest demand and lets local TV stations charge for their currently free over-the-air local signals, it would more than double the portion of your Bell TV bill going to government fees – and into the bank accounts of the broadcasters, like CTV, Global and the CBC." Free over the air signals? Currently yes, but do you know anyone who does business for free? The broadcasters just want to be paid for their services. Thanks for reading, and leave a comment

Local TV Matters

So I'm sure you have all heard of the ongoing battle between the cable/satellite companies and your local tv broadcast networks. Essentially what is happening is the cable/satellite companies(Rogers, Bell, Eastlink) are picking up the local tv feeds (CTV Globe Media, Global) for free, and broadcasting them into your homes for an additional charge. So the cable/satellite companies profit from these networks, whereas the local tv companies receive no payment for their work. Now does this sound fair to you? I didn't think so. It's alot like stealing. To help raise awareness, CTV Globe Media had launched a series of tv ads, and also created a website, http://localtvmatters.ca/. Even Dave Carroll from the Sons of Maxwell, who gained youtube fame for his songs about United Airlines, has gone on to make a music video about this issue. Now the other day I was sitting down watching Spike TV, when an ad comes on sponsored by the cable/satellite companies talking about how the CRTC is trying to impose a monthly fee of up to $10 for consumers to continue viewing their local tv broadcasts. They also claim that CTV and Global have made profits of 400 million dollars last year alone. Now the problem I have with this is that instead of the Cable companies paying the local tv networks, they are instead trying to pass this cost off to us, and claiming that it's the CRTC that is the cause behind this charge. Anyways, I would like to hear your opinion on this matter, so please leave a comment at the bottom, and help keep local tv alive!