Why has American TV not expanded into Canada or Europe?

There's an NBC-Europe, but that's about it.

Why is there not an NBC Canada, ABC Canada, FOX Canada, et cetera,
strung across the southern half of Canada, as an extension of the lower
48 stations? Not enough people to be profitable? American networks
banned by the Canadian government? What's the reason?

bklyntv...

Probably gov't regulation. I know Canada is much more regulated than
us. When I was young, radio stations in Canada had to play 50% Canadian
artists. I don't know if that's changed.

Roger Thaat...

Radio never had to play 50% Canadian. There was a requirement, but it
was not that high. The requirements helped spawn such talent as The
Guess Who, David Foster, and more recently, Shania Twain, Alanis
Morrisette, Nelly Furtado and The Barenaked Ladies.

As for television, we already get all the US channels, and we get our
own versions of things like HGTV, MTV, etc. With more people in
California than in Canada, there isn't really a compelling marketplace
reason to create NBC-Canada, is there?

videonovels...

.
Nope. :-)

So if you want to watch tonight's Law & Order SVU/CI, or abc's Dancing
with the Stars/Boston Legal, you could?

cloud dreamer...

We get SVU tonight at 7 Eastern up here (for anyone that gets the ATV on
their satellite or cable service).

We get more US network channels than the US does. I can watch all the
major networks from Boston and Seattle - so all primetime shows are

videonovels...

.

I guess things have changed. Back when I was vacationing in Canada,
year 2000, I got frustrated because I couldn't find anything to watch.
When I was near the border, I could watch Maine or Michigan
stations.... but once I traveled further north into Saskatchewan and
Yukon, it was nothing but Canadian networks. No nbc, cbs, or abc.

broadcast at least twice a night (sometimes more on CTV/CBC or Global).
I was told a few years ago that you can't get east and west network
feeds in the US (may have changed...dunno).

We don't need NBC-Canada....we're already getting NBC US twice.

et472...

Because the Canadian networks air the US programs.

Because there are rules about ownership and content.

Michael

Invid Fan...

Many nations, including the US, have rules forbidding foreign ownership
of print and broadcast media companies. There's been some relaxation of
that, what with FOX and the like, but there's still enough. The last
thing any country wants is, as an example, FOX or CNN buying their
national news station.

Kevrob...

Rupert Murdoch actually took out U.S citizenship to comply with these
ownership rules.