Results: CanCon (Canadian Content) Curiosity
Published on 08/03/2021
Many Canadian Tellwutters likely know the law this survey's title references, CanCon is short for the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's regulation mandating radio stations of certain formats in Canada play a certain percentage Canadian musical content. At least among people in that nation's radio business, it also refers to Canadian content itself.
QUESTIONS
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Comments
1.
1.
Were you aware of CanCon regulations for Canadian radio stations before reading this survey?
Yes, and I'm from Canada.
18%
387 votes
No, and I'm from Canada.
19%
401 votes
Yes, and I'm from the USA.
4%
86 votes
No, and I'm from the USA.
58%
1226 votes
2.
2.
If I'm correct in my understanding of the law, it requires Canadian terrestrial (as opposed to internet-based) radio stations playing pop, rock, country, classical, r&b, and blues to play a certain percentage of Canadian musical content during their broadcast day. Of the four attributes (any given piece of music has to meet at least two to qualify as CanCon) defining what qualifies as Canadian musical content, which seem reasonable to you as measures demanding what Canadian broadcast radio be required to play?
Music composed entirely by Canadians
12%
245 votes
Canadian artists primarily performing the lyrics and/or music
12%
262 votes
Performances recorded entirely in Canada or performed wholly and broadcasted live in Canada
9%
199 votes
Lyrics composed entirely by Canadians
9%
197 votes
Unsure which or whether any of the above regulations are reasonable
22%
465 votes
All of those stipulations seem reasonable to me.
19%
395 votes
None of those stipulations are reasonable to me.
41%
854 votes
3.
3.
I was introduced to CanCon law when Canadian dance pop act Kon Kan (their name's a syllabically reversed misspelling of CanCon ) hit the US pop top 40 in 1989 with "I Beg Your Pardon." The origin of the duo's name was mentioned at least once on the American Top 40 radio show during the song's chart run. Do you find it ironic that the song's title and chorus hook derive from US country singer Lynn Anderson's "Rose Garden'?
Yes, at least a little
22%
463 votes
Undecided
23%
492 votes
No
22%
455 votes
Don't care
33%
690 votes
4.
4.
CanCon came to my mind recently upon listening to a 1971 (year of the first CanCon legislation) American Top 40 episode wherein Canada's Five Man Electrical Band's "Signs" was charting. I find the song catchy and well performed, but aggressively idiotic, or at least naive, in myriad ways. I don't know if they benefited from CanCon law but, especially if you're Canadian, can you think of any (other?) artists who may not be popular as they are without CanCon?
Yes
7%
153 votes
Uncertain
25%
518 votes
No
25%
519 votes
I'm from the US and will count myself out for this question.
43%
910 votes
5.
5.
Whether as a Canadian radio-listening music lover, U.S. Tellwutter who treasuries free market principles and derides extraneous/protectionist government instructions on private business or someone of another perspective, what do you think of CanCon law? I can see how it may have allowed a nation that might otherwise not have develop an internationally competitive music culture, despite my philosophical objections to the legislation; but, again, what do you think?
I think CanCon is, on the whole, a force for good.
12%
256 votes
I'm unconvinced of CanCon's goodness.
8%
159 votes
I can see both sides of the issue.
18%
386 votes
Undecided
26%
555 votes
Don't care
35%
725 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
19 votes
COMMENTS