Why Does CTV Broadcast the Junos when Their Actions Say They Hate Em?

@jianghomeshi on Twitter last night:

Cdn music biz lobbied for TV show to be extended to 2 1/2 hrs to make room for more live performances. It's paying off well tonite. #Junos


Actions speak louder than words, goes the adage. CTV hypes up the Junos every year with ads and segments (words), but since the show when host Shania Twain rocked us out to the ending credits, they've pretty much dissed the Junos and us Canadians on the actual night by shoehorning it around American shows and shrinking the awards show (action). This dissing has gone on so long, I've soured on the whole thing.

What other country shows by its actions that a foreign country's programming, American programming, is more important, better than, its own country's music and its celebration? For years, CTV has squeezed the Junos around Desperate Housewives and now Amazing Race. It is inconceivable that they would move these American programs to another night. It is not inconceivable to a Canadian broadcaster to shrink, tape, and move to non-primetime hours the most important music show in Canada. Its own country for heaven's sake!

Because of CTV's dissing, for years the Junos have been rushed. I blink, and it's over. Fewer awards are handed out on the televised night -- out of 40 total, we only see eight now. Wow, let's not get too excited about seeing the breadth of our own musicians. And though after years of this abuse, the Canadian music industry finally found a backbone and demanded some respect, CTV still put a teeny-tiny-get-a-drink-and-its-over red carpet show on at some ridiculously early hour, an hour way before the Junos started. Who separates the red carpet show from the awards show? Who stops the excitement building up and says, you're not interested in the Junos and our own musicians, here watch this foreign show instead, it's much more important -- and better? Can you imagine any other country's broadcaster doing that? They have as low self-esteem as we have if they do. CTV has turned an exciting, rocking Sunday night into one big fat disappointment that's over before the night has barely begun. Even my Twitter feed is mostly silent, barely tweeting on the Junos. I guess we've all gotten CTV's message.

CTV by its actions -- and the Canadian music industry and the Junos by their inaction for many years -- has told Canadians American programming is superior to Canadian music. CTV tells Canadians they know the Junos are so boring -- cause it's Canadian ya know -- that they'll get it over as quickly as possible and will return to the good stuff for our viewing pleasure.

I've taken them at their word. I no longer watch the Junos but go find something better. On some other channel.


Comments

CQ said…
I would give CTV a borderline A-minus for this year's Juno Awards effort.
That unannounced cutaway at 7:00 p.m. was disappointing (given its very strong red carpet presentation), yet they still supplemented with an all-Cancon music afternoon plus specialty programming throughout the week. Where is CTV whenever it is the Grey Cup weekend, as a previous cultural example?
Potential improvements sure, but handily did they surpass(!) all of my expectations this time around.
Based on Jian's tweet, they only extended the Junos because the music industry finally found its voice. And maybe because it was in Toronto, CTV's home base. If CTV has to be persuaded into it, I wonder about the truth of their sudden Canadian music affection. On the night it counts, they show their true colours.

I would've watched, for I did see the red carpet show. It was done better than in previous years. They were doing a nice job of building excitement for the awards, but then they cut away for the same reason they don't show the Grey Cup -- they're more interested in broadcasting American content than in showcasing Canadian talent.