They give clearance to the Oscars, why not the Junos?

For a while, it appeared that CTV was only going to show this Sunday's Junos -- the Canadian Grammys -- live in Alberta and tape delayed to the rest of the country so that the network could simulcast a two-hour episode of CBS' The Amazing Race. Under enormous pressure, the network has backed down slightly and will also show Canada's music night live to air in the Eastern, Atlantic and Newfoundland time zones. It will, however, still be tape delayed in the Central and Pacific time zones. In fact, people in BC and the Yukon will see the show fully three hours after it's shown in Alberta right next door. (Unless of course, people in Central and Pacific have the time-shifting option on cable or satellite and watch it on the out-of-town affiliates which I hope they do to deprive their local station of ad revenue and teach CTV a lesson.)

This is still complete madness. And it tells me that the executives at CTV are either unpatriotic or are willing to treat large sections of its viewers as second class citizens. We're talking about what may be the country's top cultural event each year -- sorry, the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards are a relatively new invention and only recognize lifetime achievement. The one night when artists from all genres from classical to country and reggae to rock are on common ground.

We have a lot to be proud of as far as our music business is concerned. Some of its business practices when it comes to prosecuting perceived breaches of "fair dealing" are really outmoded, not just with new technologies such as mp3 players; but also charging physician offices and shopping malls for playing music transmitted for free to the public on radio stations. But we have an incredible star system that now has music played around the world -- something unthinkable just a few decades ago.

So why won't CTV give clearance and show this show live coast to coast to coast? They do so for the Oscars. They do so for live sporting events and elections when the polls close. What makes music so different?

We're not Americans, we're Canadians. Our artists deserve the same consideration as Hollywood does. Put the show on live even if it does screw up the suppertime newscasts -- after all, it's just one night. To not do so is nothing short of treason.

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