Cable Television and the Future of Broadcasting

Chapter TwoCable Television at the Crossroads: An Analysis of the Canadian Cable Scene

André Caron and James Taylor

Canada has now been cabled so long, and the penetration of cable is so deep, that the industry has had time for an infancy (bucolic, even), an adolescence (complete with identity crisis), a vigorous (if somewhat fettered) adulthood, and a middle age crisis, where it seems to be now caught.

Depending on who you talk to, the present prospects of the industry appear to be either: a) a nice long stretch of serene mature years before the inevitable decline sets in or b) premature senility and early retirement. These days you can make an argument either way and find supporters.

The issue concerns more than the cable industry alone. To ...