Monday, June 09, 2008
CBC screws it up one more time
Well, I'm back. And just in time to read the latest headlines regarding the Hockey Night in Canada theme song, in which it won't air on CBC again, perhaps forever.
The sneaky folks over at CTV bought the rights to the 40 year-old tune and it will air on TSN and its sister stations starting next season. Of course, CTV also secured the rights to the 2010 Winter Olympics and you can bet they will be airing it then accordingly.
This was the likely end result if the people over at CBC couldn't settle with composer Dolores Claman and man did they drop the ball. Is it okay if I use the word "incompetent" to describe the people over at CBC responsible for losing the song? If they can afford to drop hundreds of millions of dollars on airing NHL games, surely they can manage a fraction of that to hold onto a song considered a part of Canadian heritage?
Anyway, it's not like anyone is going to stop watching hockey on Saturday nights because the theme song is no longer playing, but man, I think a good round of firings is in order. (Fire him, him and....hmmm, better keep the egghead. Might come in handy!"). HNIC just won't be the same.
The sneaky folks over at CTV bought the rights to the 40 year-old tune and it will air on TSN and its sister stations starting next season. Of course, CTV also secured the rights to the 2010 Winter Olympics and you can bet they will be airing it then accordingly.
This was the likely end result if the people over at CBC couldn't settle with composer Dolores Claman and man did they drop the ball. Is it okay if I use the word "incompetent" to describe the people over at CBC responsible for losing the song? If they can afford to drop hundreds of millions of dollars on airing NHL games, surely they can manage a fraction of that to hold onto a song considered a part of Canadian heritage?
Anyway, it's not like anyone is going to stop watching hockey on Saturday nights because the theme song is no longer playing, but man, I think a good round of firings is in order. (Fire him, him and....hmmm, better keep the egghead. Might come in handy!"). HNIC just won't be the same.
# posted by SBP : 5:07 PM
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Thanks for bringing up the point that was missed on The Team 1200 all yesterday afternoon:
Will this change behaviour one little bit? I mean, is someone going to be walking out the door on a Wednesday night, hear the hockey theme song on TSN for the upcoming Rangers/Devils game and say "You know, screw dinner, I'm watching hockey".
Even if that happens to a hundred people, will that provide a return on investment for the song? I'm all for branding and marketing tactics, but I just don't think tacking the song on TSN broadcasts is going to do anything to change people's viewing habits. It's just a frickin' song.
Will this change behaviour one little bit? I mean, is someone going to be walking out the door on a Wednesday night, hear the hockey theme song on TSN for the upcoming Rangers/Devils game and say "You know, screw dinner, I'm watching hockey".
Even if that happens to a hundred people, will that provide a return on investment for the song? I'm all for branding and marketing tactics, but I just don't think tacking the song on TSN broadcasts is going to do anything to change people's viewing habits. It's just a frickin' song.
# posted by 
: 8:21 AM, June 10, 2008
: 8:21 AM, June 10, 2008
I blame the composer for causing this whole mess, not the CBC. tehy must have been close to a deal, if the CBC hired a medator. The composer didn't car about canadian heritage, she cared about the $$$$. Do I blame her? Not sure. I also think everyone is overreacting to this whole thing
Agreed, everyone is overreacting.
But I can't blame the composer, we do still live in a free market economy, after all. And I don't think any licensing contracts should have clauses for protecting treasured pieces of Canadiana.
I suspect she wanted to change from her per-use licensing to the lump-sum rights permission that CTV paid. Makes sense for someone who's in her 80's and wants to secure her finances from an estate planning perspective. As a public entity, I doubt CBC would have been able to pay a large lumpsum payment regardless.
At the end of the day, the song will still be associated with hockey broadcasts in Canada, and the CBC doesn't seem all that interested in sports in general these days, so where's the harm, except to the public's perception of CBC's HNIC?
But I can't blame the composer, we do still live in a free market economy, after all. And I don't think any licensing contracts should have clauses for protecting treasured pieces of Canadiana.
I suspect she wanted to change from her per-use licensing to the lump-sum rights permission that CTV paid. Makes sense for someone who's in her 80's and wants to secure her finances from an estate planning perspective. As a public entity, I doubt CBC would have been able to pay a large lumpsum payment regardless.
At the end of the day, the song will still be associated with hockey broadcasts in Canada, and the CBC doesn't seem all that interested in sports in general these days, so where's the harm, except to the public's perception of CBC's HNIC?
# posted by : 9:54 AM, June 10, 2008
: 9:54 AM, June 10, 2008
I agree with SBP: a good round of firings are in order at the CBC. Start with Don Cherie (mispelled on purpose since he butchers every name he goes near), Bob Cole, Harry Neale and Greg Millen.
# posted by : 7:31 PM, June 10, 2008
: 7:31 PM, June 10, 2008
CBC reps commented that they felt it would be irresponsible for a publicly funded company to pay that kind of money for a song.
That could just be an excuse they are now using, but if it holds any amount of truth then I applaud them for being responsible.
Perhaps they deserve some credit for being smart enough to know what everyone has said here -- that no one's viewing habits will change because of a tune.
/rt.
That could just be an excuse they are now using, but if it holds any amount of truth then I applaud them for being responsible.
Perhaps they deserve some credit for being smart enough to know what everyone has said here -- that no one's viewing habits will change because of a tune.
/rt.
# posted by : 5:04 PM, June 11, 2008
: 5:04 PM, June 11, 2008
I hope CBC learns their lesson: this upcoming contest for the next HNIC song should have a stipulation it belongs to them once they've declared a winner and paid the $100 prize.
Hey Plan-B...submit that song the Superbowl people aired without your permission!
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Hey Plan-B...submit that song the Superbowl people aired without your permission!
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