Reconciling Political, Cultural And Economic Objectives:Lesson From The Evolution Of Canadian Broadcasting Policy

The Canadian broadcasting system and policy model, typical among western countries and distinctive with its own characteristics, has a lot to inspire China in terms of China’s ongoing broadcasting reform, as well as the role broadcasting can play in dealing with social and cultural issues.In more than eighty years, the Canadian broadcasting policy has evolved to be a sophisticated system pivoted by three major goals.Firstly, the political goal, or otherwise termed as national goal by some observers, is to maintain and enhance Canada’s cultural sovereignty by imposing Canadian content requirement on BDUs and broadcasters, and financing Canadian content. Secondly, the social-cultural goal is to maintain national unity by promoting diversity in broadcasting, i.e., the equal importance of French to English as the core of Canada’s broadcasting system, the special place of aboriginal broadcasting, and the exhibition of ethnic or third language programs. Thirdly, the economic goal is to maintain a viable broadcasting industry by providing necessary support to the private sector broadcasters. In short, the evolution of Canadian broadcasting policy is virtually a course in which the policymakers reconcile the political, social-cultural and economic goals. In last thirty years, with the tide of deregulation, marketization and privatization in the western world since1980s, the economic goals is increasingly taking priority and the private sector has surpassed the public broadcasting to be the mainstay of Canada’s broadcasting system.Taking full account of its status quo, what China can learn from the Canadian experience lies in two areas.Above all, to mainly rely on market force fulfilling broadcasting goals is a major lesson China can learn from the evolution of Canadian broadcasting policy in20th century. To this end, firstly, broadcasters in China should be reorganized as corporations rather than state institutions as they are now; secondly, introducing a second national broadcaster to compete with CCTV in the market.; thirdly, making a Communication Act to address the convergence of telecommunication and broadcasting industries; fourthly, establishing a independent pubic authority to regulate and supervise broadcasting and telecommunication in China.Another major lesson China can learn from the Canadian experience is the significant role broadcasting can plan in promoting social cohesion and national unity. Firstly, China should increase presenting of ethnic minorities on-air by licensing a national ethnic broadcaster or introducing an ethnic channel in CCTV. Secondly, China should protect the rights of under-represented social groups by increasing programming reflecting their interest and needs, providing them with equal employment opportunity in broadcasting industry, and encouraging broadcasting services to the hearing and visually impaired.The content of this dissertation is as follows:The Introduction includes the research objectives and scope, literature review, methodology, as well as the features of this dissertation.Chapter One reviews theories relevant to this research, including culture industry research, media studies, and policy studies.Chapter Two examines the history of Canadian broadcasting policy in three periods, i.e., the period before1958when public broadcasting dominated, the period from1958to1980when public and private broadcasters equally competed, and the period after1980when private sector dominated.Chapter Three first examines the policy process and regulatory authority, and then explores the Canadian broadcasting policy in the framework of political, cultural and economic goals.Chapter Four compares the Canadian broadcasting policy with that of the Great Britain and the United States, and analyses the trend of western countries’ broadcasting policies as a whole.Chapter Five diagnoses the problems of Chinese broadcasting policy and puts forward recommendation with reference to lessons from the Canadian experience.The Conclusion summarizes the main findings of this research and prospects China’s reform of broadcasting system in future.