On Location: Canada's Television Industry in a Global Market (Cultural Spaces)

## CANADA'S TELEVISION INDUSTRY IN A GLOBAL MARKET Preface xi with the conventions of the medium, such as narrative or thematic continuity. However, at a broader level, the producers were concerned that their 'discourse "resonate" with American culture': At any moment in time, the story conference is a condensation point for cultural texts circulating widely in American society. This means that the producers tend to present stories, ideas and characters that will have high audience familiarity. The episodic discourse, in reproducing familiar cultural stories, is a manifestation of a cultural mapping of a particular text onto the cognitive system of the audience ... [T]he producers presuppose that connections to the wider cultural knowledge will be made by the audience. (239-40) In a similar study, Phillip Elliott (1972) found that British television producers consistently drew upon their own cultural experiences when developing a series. Through his observations and interviews, Elliott concluded that television and cultural context were linked in three primary ways: (1) society as a source of stories; (2) producers as interpreters of cultural stories; and (3) producers' perceptions of the audience's understanding of story form and content. These studies underline that producers, as part of the larger society in which they operate, bring their own specific cultural interpretations and experiences to the programs they create. Therefore, in order to understand how a place or community is represented within the television story format, we need to examine the cultural perspective brought to the production process by the storytellers themselves. While Espinosa's and Elliott's case studies provide a good starting point for this type of research, they do not adequately address two important aspects of the production process: the economic and political constraints that mediate all cultural productions. In sociological analyses of the Hollywood production process, Muriel Cantor (1971) and Todd Gitlin (1985) found that economic and organizational factors, such as advertising support and network guidelines and censors, were constant reference points in the production process. These studies, which were also based on in-depth interviews and observation, complement the work of Elliott and Espinosa by emphasizing the organizational culture and structure of television. Together, these research perspectives provide a framework from which to study television production as both an artisanal and an economic activity. This xii Preface taking the time to share their thoughts and experiences with me. Many thanks also to the individuals at the CBC research department who were so forthcoming with that most institutionally valued category of knowledge: audience research. Film And Television Production Are Important Components Of The Canadian Economy. In Vancouver, Popular American Television Series Like The X-files And Canadian Series Like Da Vinci's Inquest Have Boosted The City's Profile As A Centre For International And Domestic Productions. Serra Tinic's On Location Is The First Empirical Analysis Of Regional Canadian Television Producers In The Context Of Developing Global Media Markets. Tinic Observes That Global Television Production In Vancouver Has Been A Contradictory Process That Has Led To The Homogenization Of Culturally Specific Storylines, While Simultaneously Facilitating The Development Of New Avenues For International Ventures. The Author Explains How Federal And Regional Network Considerations, Funding Guidelines, And Partnerships With International Co-producers Affect The Capacity Of Canadian Television Producers To Negotiate Culturally Specific Storylines In The Development Process. She Further Investigates The Concepts Of Globalization, Culture, And National Identity And Their Relationship To Broadcasting From The Perspectives Of Members Of The Television Industry Themselves, Highlighting The Extent To Which Industry Practices In Vancouver Epitomize Current Trends In Global Television Production. On Location Fills A Major Gap In Contemporary Media And Cultural Studies Debates That Question The Connections Between The Politics Of Place, Culture, And Commerce Within The Larger Context Of Cultural Globalization.--jacket. Local Cultures And Global Quests: Imagining The Nation In Canadian Broadcasting -- Constructing The Global City: Contextualizing 'hollywood North' -- The Politics Of 'space' And 'place': Mandating 'national' Identity In Canadian Media Policy -- Going Global: The Disappearing Domestic Audience -- Marginal Amusements: Television Comedy And The Salience Of Place In The Canadian Sensibility -- Regimes Of Community In 'hollywood North': Reproducing Local And Global Cultures In A Televisual World. Serra Tinic. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

Film and television production are important components of the Canadian economy. In Vancouver, popular American television series like The X-Files and Canadian series like Da Vinci's Inquest have boosted the city's profile as a centre for international and domestic productions. Serra Tinic's On Location is the first empirical analysis of regional Canadian television producers in the context of developing global media markets.

Tinic observes that global television production in Vancouver has been a contradictory process that has, on one level, led to the homogenization of culturally specific storylines, while simultaneously facilitating the development of new avenues for international ventures. The author explains how federal and regional network considerations, funding guidelines, and partnerships with international co-producers affect the capacity of Canadian television producers to negotiate culturally specific storylines in the development process. She further interrogates the concepts of globalization, culture, and national identity, and their relationship to broadcasting from the perspectives of members of the television industry themselves, highlighting the extent to which industry practices in Vancouver epitomize current trends in global television production. On Location fills a major gap in contemporary media and cultural studies debates that question the connections between the politics of place, culture, and commerce within the larger context of cultural globalization.

Film and television production are important components of the Canadian economy. In Vancouver, popular American television series like The X-Files and Canadian series like Da Vinci's Inquest have boosted the city's profile as a centre for international and domestic productions. Serra Tinic's On Location is the first empirical analysis of regional Canadian television producers in the context of developing global media markets. Tinic observes that global television production in Vancouver has been a contradictory process that has, on one level, led to the homogenization of culturally specific storylines, while simultaneously facilitating the development of new avenues for international ventures. The author explains how federal and regional network considerations, funding guidelines, and partnerships with international co-producers affect the capacity of Canadian television producers to negotiate culturally specific storylines in the development process. She further interrogates the concepts of globalization, culture, and national identity, and their relationship to broadcasting from the perspectives of members of the television industry themselves, highlighting the extent to which industry practices in Vancouver epitomize current trends in global television production. On Location fills a major gap in contemporary media and cultural studies debates that question the connections between the politics of place, culture, and commerce within the larger context of cultural globalization. Contents 5 Preface 7 Acknowledgments 15 Chapter 1. Local Cultures and Global Quests: Imagining the Nation in Canadian Broadcasting 19 Chapter 2. Constructing the Global City: Contextualizing ‘Hollywood North’ 47 Chapter 3. The Politics of ‘Space’ and ‘Place’: Mandating ‘National’ Identity in Canadian Media Policy 78 Chapter 4. Going Global: The Disappearing Domestic Audience 122 Chapter 5. Marginal Amusements: Television Comedy and the Salience of Place in the Canadian Sensibility 147 Chapter 6. Regimes of Community in ‘Hollywood North’: Reproducing Local and Global Cultures in a Televisual World 170 Appendix: Main Characteristics of an International City 185 Notes 187 References 205 Index 217