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Canadian content or can-con is the requirement that radio and television broadcasters (including cable TV networks) must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from Canada. It is enforced by the government agency, CRTC. This is what is referred to as the MAPL system.
To qualify as Canadian content a musical selection must generally fulfill at least two of the following conditions:
- M (music) -- the music is composed entirely by a Canadian.
- A (artist) -- the music is, or the lyrics are, performed principally by a Canadian.
- P (production) -- the musical selection consists of a live performance that is
- (i) recorded wholly in Canada, or
- (ii) performed wholly in Canada and broadcast live in Canada.
- L (lyrics) -- the lyrics are written entirely by a Canadian.
- The musical selection was recorded before January 1972 and meets one of the above conditions.
- It is an instrumental performance of a musical composition written or composed by a Canadian.
- It is a performance of a musical composition that a Canadian has composed for instruments only.
- The musical selection was performed live or recorded after September 1, 1991 and, in addition to meeting the criterion for either artist or production, a Canadian who has collaborated with a non-Canadian receives at least half of the credit for both music and lyrics.
Some other countries employ similar systems. For example, Australian broadcasters are required to broadcast a certain percentage of Australian content alongside international content.
Some people feel that Can-con was a major contributor to the decline in popularity of 50,000 watt radio station CKLW in Windsor, Ontario starting in the mid-1970's. CKLW was unique in that during the height of its popularity, it had far more listeners in the United States than in Canada, and when Can-con went into effect, some U.S. listeners didn't much care for the sudden heavy emphasis on Canadian content. In fairness, it's probably worth noting that the increasing popularity of FM radio stations likely had more impact on CKLW, and all other AM radio stations, than Can-con did. And it's also known that CKLW was directly responsible for introducing several Canadian bands and artists to U.S. audiences.
Can-con also inspired the name of the band Kon Kan.
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