Canadian Magazine Dispute Essay

Canada as a nation has been striving to characterize itself as more ?Canadian? for decades. This has included numerous struggles and events such as protests, bans, and the creation of the Massey Commission, to encourage national development in the arts, and support major companies like the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and National Film Board (NFB). However, this has not been an easy task for the Canadian government, as major influences from below the border (the United States) have been captivating the Canadian audiences by large. American media has had a momentous revolutionizing effect on Canada, even through efforts made to define Canada with its own cultural identity.

Ever since the 1950’s more of the American culture has been known to influence Canadian ways of living through the media.

If Canada wants to protect their national identity, they must all embrace each other’s cultures, instead of creating multiple broadcasts that preach one view or culture. Without state governed media, the dominance of US products in Canada would diminish its identity as a nation, fail to serve the public interest and create less profits causing more advertising and less content in the media. Government regulated media proves to be more favourable and beneficial than policies based off of self-regulated solutions when addressing Canada’s media industries and cultural

1. As the Canadian governmental committee put it, "magazines constitute the only national press .. in Canada, …..( it) can help foster in Canadians a sense of themselves." A legacy that is threatened by more than 100 US Magazines established in Canada. If the majority of magazines are printed in America, there will be no need for printing magazines in Canada. In an effort to preserve this identifying mark of Canadian identity, culminated into the Canadian magazine dispute. When thoroughly analyzed, America, the biggest foreign magazine contributor in Canada is to blame for the dispute. In an effort to monitor and control imports of foreign publications. Canada was only trying to protect what rightfully belongs to them.

The U.S.-Canadian magazine dispute was undoubtedly motivated by Canadian protectionism of their own culture. The source of the problem was Sports Illustrated Canada, a split-run magazine publisher, was producing material in the United States and sending it electronically to Canada so it could be printed as a Canadian periodical. The fact that Sports Illustrated Canada was rendered as Canadian rather than American allowed the periodical to offer tax deductions to Canadian advertisers, in turn taking away from the potential advertisement revenue available for other Canadian periodicals. The only reason this became a problem was because the originally Canadian periodicals couldn’t compete with the prices offered by the American magazines that

The Canadian government sees magazines as an important part of their culture and gives Canadians a sense of identity.

Forty-two years and still going strong, This Magazine focuses on Canadian politics, pop culture and the arts, but in keeping with its radical roots never pulls punches. Subversive, edgy and smart, This Magazine is the real alternative to that.

Newspapers are rooted together with the public sphere, globalization, and mass media. The newspaper and the public sphere give citizens an opportunity to examine public concern and global matters. Does this mean that those involved with the Canadian ownership and newspaper industry ultimately wield the power in Canadian society, by exercising this influence to mold the Canadian opinion of readers (Wagenberg & Soderlund, 1975)? Historically, multiple independent newspapers existed, but this had significantly lessened over time with the rise of concentrated ownership in the newspaper industry. Canada has the most concentrated ownership of any country in the free world, meaning that the ownership of newspapers are left into fewer and fewer hands. For example, there are 42 daily newspapers across Canada owned by PostMedia. This raises concerns about concentrated ownership, and if this impacts a Canadian society in having a free diverse range of voices in our national and local media in order to sustain a healthy democracy. The current issue is whether or not concentrated ownership is causing distrust in mainstream Canadian newspapers, creating a climate of insecurity, and if there is an effect on the quality of journalism.

In my opinion, the Canadian government reflected on the negative impact of globalization to the local culture as a treat to them since it kept worsening by each day. Many people argue that the media to which magazine is part is a tool used to threatening the philosophies, politics and economy of nations as well as the freedom of nations. Perhaps the Canadian based on these threatens to develop a genuine desire to protect their culture from all these impunities.

Stuart, R. (2013, December 8). U.S. News & World Report Sells Magazines, Higher Ed Goes into Despair. Retrieved September 14, 2015.

Canada felt that special consideration should be given instead of normal trade rules. In 1920, the government feared it was losing Canadian culture and imposed tariffs against foreign magazines. The tax was not meant to increase Canada's revue but to protect its culture.

It stands to reason in some remote locations, as in reservations are isolated and may not have access to national television or cable networks. Keeping a Canadian content message is important. In America’s free market approach to media one can gather there are many, many versions of events, including global or otherwise that might be skewed from the facts. It seems to me by pushing American media, potentially political messages onto unsuspecting consumers could and can have drastic effects on ordinary Canadians. On that note, I definitely can see Canadian magazine producers using political pressure on the government. Almost to the point of quid pro quo and politicians bending for those with the power of the pen. But I honestly believe it was more in terms of attempting to keep things fair. In the sense, American magazine producers can manufacture at much below the cost that of Canadian magazine producers, based on economies to scale. As soon as American magazine producer encroach into the Canadian market, it will be next to impossible to push back, taking into account the purchasing habits of ordinary Canadians.

One of the CRTC’s initial jobs was enforcing the Broadcasting Act of Canada, which stated that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by people from Canada. This requirement soon became known as CanCon, or Canadian Content. Now, as time flew by, a principle concern was raised amongst a group of intellectuals and critics of the CRTC, a question that sparked a national debate: To what extent should the CRTC and CanCon play a role in today’s global world? Those that believe that the CRTC have a significant place in this globalizing world cite how CanCon prevents complete Americanization of Canada, protecting Canada’s culture, and gives exposure to Canadian content creators. On the other hand, the opposition side believes that the CRTC has no place, since CanCon gives not necessarily good content priority over better content just because they are Canadian, and also forces media outlets to make time for Canadian content that may not do well, thus wasting their time, and money. Personally, we believe that since it protects the culture of Canada, helps bring Canadian talent into the limelight, and gives consumers a more diverse selection, not just American music and films, the CRTC and its CanCon has a crucial part with Canada in modern day’s

I think that the U.S.-Canadian magazine dispute was greatly influenced by true desires to protect Canadian culture. Even back in 1920, protective tariffs were placed on foreign magazines (Culture and Globalization, n.d.). Even though the majority of the magazines sold in Canada are foreign, “in 1970...a Committee on Mass Media concluded that “magazines constitute the only national press”” (Culture and Globalization, n.d.) that Canada possessed at the time. During this time period, not every household had televisions, so magazines were a good way to push out advertisements and to share ideas and ways of the culture there. That was a great medium to get ideas spread throughout the population. This was how a lot of people received new recipes, read about new inventions/products, etc. One could not simply get on their computer and look up the newest trends, see what was hot in pop culture, or have a nearly infinite amount of information at their fingertips. People had to listen to the radio, watch television if your family had one, read the newspaper, and read magazines if they wanted to stay up to date on what was going on with their country and throughout the world.

I suspect that the real motive of the Canadian government was not to protect Canadian culture in this dispute with the US. But rather, it seemed to concern more with political and economic factors. As appeared in the article, the Canadian government finally gave in and went on to settle the dispute (The Levin Institute, [1]). To me, that seems somewhat irrational to suddenly give up on one’s culture like they did, when the US threated to retaliate with trade barriers. As a speculation, I believe the dispute was motived by political and economic concerns. The Canadian government was attempting to defend the local media from a total domination by foreign media since it implies that Canadian businesses will be paying foreign corporations to have their products and services advertised on a magazine, even when local magazines have the capacity to provide the same type of service. Simply put, the concern seems to be related to the higher outflows of capital.