Why no Canadian channels?

[TomCat4680]

Why doesn't DirecTV carry any Canadian channels?

 

[jdspencer]

You're near the Canadian border aren't you?
Michigan?

 

[texasbrit]

Because U.S. channels own the U.S. rights to a large part of the content on the Canadian channel. And even if a U.S. channel does not have the rights, the Canadian channel does not, only for Canada. All of that would have to be blacked out and there would not be much programming left on some of the channels..

 

[Jimmy 440]

I'd love to see the CBC and CTV for their news casts.

 

[TomCat4680]

yeah about 60 miles from the border. CBC via CBET is carried on cable throughout Southeast Michigan. I don't ever remember any blackouts.

 

[darrencp22]

Why doesn't DirecTV carry any Canadian channels?

This is going to sound like a smartass answer, but it's because we are not in Canada.

 

[JosephB]

This is going to sound like a smartass answer, but it's because we are not in Canada.

We're not in Mexico but there are plenty of Latin American channels available. We're not in China but CCTV is available.

 

[Bob Nielsen]

Since many of the border areas carry Canadian channels, we should be able get them as locals (fat chance!)

Since Canadian satellite customers get our networks, we should be able to get theirs (again, fat chance!)

 

[TomCat4680]

We're not in Mexico but there are plenty of Latin American channels available. We're not in China but CCTV is available.

that's exactly what i was about to say. it doesn't seem fair. Latinos get 50, Canadians get none. isn't NAFTA still in effect?

 

[jcrandall]

Not sure how NAFTA would work, but I venture that Directv wouldn't want to pay what CBC would want for national carriage. What would be good is if CBC did something like BBC America (but without the reality sh*t).

I'm not even sure if Directv could carry CBC as a local like the cable companies do in border areas. The rules for cable are different, same reason that where I live cable customers get affiliates from 3 cities, Lansing, Flint, and Detroit, - and a couple Grand Rapids too. Directv gives only one. The laws make them play by different rules.

 

[Newshawk]

<SARCASM>Well, maybe if there's a substantial Canadian population in the US that wants to watch programming in their native language perhaps DirecTV will provide it to them...</SARCASM>

 

[TomCat4680]

isn't English spoken in 80% of Canada?

 

[meldar_b]

I would like to have back on all the "MuchMusic" video channels:

and the scifi channel "SPACE"

 

[darrencp22]

that's exactly what i was about to say. it doesn't seem fair. Latinos get 50, Canadians get none. isn't NAFTA still in effect?

To be Canadian is not a race. Internation channels serve specific cultures.

 

[TomCat4680]

Race and nationality are basically the same thing. Canadians have different interests than Americans; they love hockey and outdoor sports way more, and they have dozens of unique shows up there.The Red Green Show is an example. (fortunately they play it on PBS). Kids in the Hall was Canadian originally too. So was You Can't Do That on Television.

Also, lots of Canadians speak French; why are there no French channels?

 

[riffjim4069]

I still miss my StarChoice dish and would to watch hocky on CBC, TSN, and Rogers Sports Net here. To be honest, I have no idea why we don't have these channels in order to serve the public interest - mainly those who speak Canadian, eh!

If given only one choice, I would go with CBC due to Hockey Night in Canada.

 

[srenker]

Radio-Canada is not in your poll, nor are any of the other French channels.

 

[TomCat4680]

Which French channels would you like? I don't speak French myself but any new channels would be great.

I'm probably 25% fluent in Spanish though so I don't mind the Latino channels that are on Choice.

 

[iceturkee]

This is going to sound like a smartass answer, but it's because we are not in Canada.

it might be smartass but its the honest answer!

 

[Jemjee]

My vote is for CBC too, due to the hockey coverage. However, now that the NHL network simulcasts Hockey Night in Canada each Saturday night, I think I'm good.