S01 Episode 4: Irene Berkowitz - Mediaucracy: Why Canada hasn’t made global TV hits and how it can

In this episode we turn the mic around. Dr. Robert Clapperton, Director of Audience Lab, takes a turn as host to chat with Dr. Irene Berkowitz about her book, which inspired this series of the Audience Lab podcast. Mediaucracy: Why Canada hasn’t made global TV hits and how it can is the story of the fiery collision between Canada’s national TV policy and the global, online era and has been called “an important roadmap to a much-needed policy update.”
 
Dr. Berkowitz shares her research on Canadian TV, which took her to Hollywood to interview top showrunners. They discuss her review of other approaches around the world, (the U.K., Israel, Denmark, Korea)  – and how the policies of these countries help their local content succeed on the global stage.

Berkowitz argues that while Canada is teeming with creative talent, the current policy framework does not incentivize globality (global reach and content popularity), and omits the three most important words in media audience, audience, audience.

As Bob observes, the book doesn’t just delve into the problem; it concludes with a solution, including a critical path and goal-driven, evidence-based policy strategies including POM to COM, PM to AM; and its centrepiece instrument, G-Score, which incentivizes and rewards globality.

Along the way, names are dropped, including Charles Falzon, Ivan Fecan, Noreen Halpern,  Eugene Levy, Reynolds Mastin, John Morayniss, David Shore, and Len St-Aubin.

“Mediaucracy with Dr. Irene Berkowitz,” a series from The Audience Lab Podcast, is by Audience Lab, a media audience research group at The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University (recently renamed). 

We tackle challenging questions in audience research, digital communication, and human-computer interaction. We’ve led groundbreaking and international collaborations with CBC, CMF, CMPA, Google, Playback, and more.  

If you want to learn more OR you have comments, questions, or guest requests for Mediaucracy, please email our host, Dr. Irene Berkowitz at iberkowi@ryerson.ca.

Access the transcription and relates articles and resources from this episode HERE

Credits:
Executive Producer and Host: Irene Berkowitz 
Podcast Producer, Distribution, and Promotions Design: Sam McNulty 
Series Cover Art and Logo Design: Sean Truong, David Jardine and Jessica Scott
Season Cover Art and Web Design: Nancy Ly
Audience Lab Director: Robert Clapperton
The Creative School Marketing: Rana Latif, Ashley Haraburda, Tania Ulrich
Dean of The Creative School: Charles Falzon