Canadian Content... Does it Serve it's Purpose for Canada?

In Canada, we have an identity crisis of sorts. This country adores the United States, our Neighbours to the south, but we fear losing our Canadian identity and Culture to the USA. For that reason, Canadian content rules were adopted a long time ago to determine how much of the music or anything else on the air must be original and created in Canada.

For music, the focus of this article, the MAPL system, established in 1971, is used. This system was developed by Stan Klees to define what is considered Canadian Content and how much of it must be played. The referee for the system is the Canadian Radio, Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). They are the organization responsible for measuring how much Can Con a radio station is playing, and levying fines against those who break the rules. Originally the level of Canadian Content set for music was 25%. In the 1980s, that was upped to 30% and then 35% where it stands today. That means that Canadian radio stations, with a few exceptions, must play 35% Canadian music. There are exceptions for classical and jazz among others who can have an exemption down to 20% because there is not as much Canadian music available in those sorts of genres. For everybody else, they must meet that 35% mark.

In order to avoid a situation that happened in the early days of Can Con where radio stations would save all their can con for off peak hours, after 6:00pm; the CRTC has mandated that all Can Con must be met during peak hours between 6:00am and 6:00pm.

MAPL, if you had not already guessed, is an acronym. To qualify as Canadian, the music must meet at least 2 of the 4 following criteria.

M (music) - The music involved is composed by a Canadian
A (artist) - The music and/or lyrics are performed by a Canadian
P (Production) - The music in question consists of a performance that recorded in Canada or performed in Canada and broadcast live in Canada
L (lyrics) - the lyrics are written entirely by a Canadian.

There are a few exceptions to these rules. If the music was recorded before 1972, it must only meet one of those criteria. If the piece is an instrumental performance written or composed by a Canadian. It is a musical performance of a composition composed by a Canadian for instruments only (no lyrics). The selection was performed live after 1991 and meets the criteria for artist or production, then a Canadian who has worked with a non Canadian can be considered Can Con under this system.

Many other Canadian acts who are big internationally, record in Canada to ensure Can Con status.

The last exception was created for Bryan Adams album "Waking Up the Neighbours" because he worked with British producer John Lange, so his album and singles did not qualify under the old rules.

There are some issues with the way that Canadian content is played in Canada. It does not work as a system to give exposure to homegrown Canadian bands. Instead, Radio stations have a tendency to overplay, the already big internationally, bands that they consider safe. For this reason, when listening to Canadian radio, we often hear a lot of The Tragically Hip, Nickelback, Sam Roberts, The Trews, Theory of a Deadman, Rush, Sum 41, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Celine Dion among others that have been huge for years. These stations play the same songs over and over again because it helps them to meet their Canadian content requirements.

Canadian Content requirements are supposed to ensure that Canadian music is heard in Canada. Taken at face value, it accomplishes this. What it does not accomplish as the system is setup now, is giving independent bands any exposure. Most bands seem to need some recognition in the USA in order to get played in Canada even with Can Con rules.

The system should require that local indie bands be a part of that 35% that must be played. That way Canadian Content rules would serve their purpose.