iTunes Launches Canadian T.V. Downloads

The Canadian iTunes store now has T.V. downloads. But before you get too excited, let me warn you that it’s mostly Canadian shows and does not include the major U.S. networks. First, what is in the store. CTV has Corner Gas, Robson Arms and Degrassi. CBC shows like Little Mosque on the Prairie and the Rick Mercer Report are available along with classic NHL games. And who could forget Instant Star? South Park is also in the store.

This is a good start, and I’m happy to see Canadian networks allowing their shows into the iTunes store. What’s telling however, is what isn’t in the store. Major U.S. television programs like Desperate Housewives, House, Heroes, Survivor etc. Basically any show that Canadian broadcasters pay a fortune to license are not available. Why? Because they want you watching those shows on Canadian channels so you have to watch the Canadian ads. CTV doesn’t want you watching Desperate Housewives on your computer without all those Canadian ads. Global is terrified that you’ll quit watching Heroes on their network with all their ads. Canadian networks pay millions and millions of dollars to broadcast U.S. shows in Canada. That’s their business model and they don’t want anything to get in the way of that.

Now there might also be an issue of license fees. Maybe it’s the case that the U.S. networks want to charge too much money to allow CTV to sell downloads of it’s shows on the iTunes store. And maybe Canadian networks want to drive you to their own site and stream these shows to your computer so that they can insert ads. In any event, they clearly don’t want to give Apple too much power (just like what’s happening with NBC and Apple in the U.S.) and they definitely don’t want you watching their cash cow (big U.S. shows) without all those homegrown Canadian ads.

Another review of the new iTunes offerings is here.