Hey Canadians: No Daily Show for you
If you like satire and you don’t mind staying up late, you’re probably a fan of The Daily Show, that great showcase for the satirical jabs of Jon Stewart. If that’s the case, you might have been overjoyed to hear that Comedy Central (which is part of MTV, which in turn is part of Viacom) recently launched a website with 13,000 or so clips from the show, including some of the most-loved episodes.
Finally, you may have thought to yourself — after months of fighting with YouTube over clips from the show (which routinely appear and then are quickly removed), Viacom has decided that giving viewers what they want over the Internet is the right way to go. Bravo.
The only problem with that rosy little scenario is that Viacom’s largesse — like every other U.S. TV network that has decided to stream popular shows from their website — is completely unavailable to Canadian viewers (and to viewers in other countries as well). You can go to the website and click on a video, but you don’t get anything. To add insult to injury, the pre-roll advertising spot that Viacom has sold for the clip plays just fine, but is followed by a black screen — a screen that might as well say “Hey non-U.S. viewers — look at all the stuff you can’t watch.”
Why can’t you watch The Daily Show clips? The same reason you can’t watch an episode of Heroes on the website the day after it plays on TV, and the same reason you can’t download TV episodes from iTunes: Canadian networks like Global and CTV have paid for the right to broadcast those shows, and would no doubt raise a hue and cry if they were suddenly available for free on the Internet. That might destabilize the entire Canadian broadcasting business model, which relies on access to U.S. hits.
Update: On a more recent visit to The Daily Show website, I was automatically redirected to thecomedynetwork.ca, which carries episodes of the Comedy Central show in Canada (after a pseudo-friendly message popped up saying how “some jerk blocked ComedyCentral.com” and that this was a “load of crap,” but that clicking on the link would take you to The Comedy Network for all your favourites “and a whole whack of homegrown hilarity”).
You can watch some recent episodes of The Daily Show at the Canadian site, but there is only a small selection, in contrast to the complete show archive that is available at the U.S. site. I guess it’s better than a blank screen, but not by much.
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(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 6:27 pm)
You know what, FUCK that. I’ve pirated (limewire), been frustrated (slow downloads), been releived (NBC, Fox streaming sites), been pissed (not available to Canadians), been over joyed (TheDailyShow.com — so many Even Stephven clips!!!), and now, FUCK IT (again, no Canadian Access).
So Fuck IT.
Entirely. Fuck the daily show, fuck TV, fuck stephen colbert, fuck corn on the cob, fuck their sites and fuck their advertising.
That’s it. Whether I can watch their shows at 12:05 (AST), or catch reruns multiple times the next day, FUCK IT. I signed up for theDailyShow.com and browsed their site for HOURS, watching clips that I’d never heard of, digging for history. Now I visit it, and it’s the same as NBC.com, fox.com, hulu and now this.
This writers strike is happening at a brilliant time, because (and it’s silly, i know), but out of principle, FUCK IT. It’s greedy, childish and now unacceptable. I’m boycotting the Daily Show, Stephen Colbert, 24, The Office, 30 Rock — everything I’ve enjoyed.
Am I over reacting? Well I quit smoking today so it’s hard to tell, but I’ve been patient, understanding, willing to go around and find a way to watch it anyways. But now? (pardon my Canadian French) — FUCK THEM.
Someone e-mail when they’ve changed their mind — otoolerc AT gmail DOT com
Cheers
Ryan
Nova Scotia, Canada
(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 8:07 am)
I’ve been frustrated too, but here in Norway, thedailyshow.com works just fine, and has since I received the first tip about it. New clips work just fine too.
(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 3:29 pm)
Canadians are causing troubles for the US Facist Regime. Not to mention the neocons are getting in position to take Canada Completely as well. I am not surprised and be prepared for major internet censoring in the near future. The only info you will eventually get is from the party line.
Welcome to the NWO!
(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 5:06 pm)
Rrrriiiight…
And then your wrestling action figures will come to life, so they can touch you in places you’ve only dreamed of.
(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 3:34 pm)
We just relaunched a new beta video player at TCN. Hopefully it makes it a little easier to find those Daily Show clips
Try it out and let us know what you think at the blog!
Here’s a link to get you started: http://watch.thecomedynetwork.ca/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart
(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 10:35 pm)
I’ve been watching the Daily Show on thecomedynetwork.ca but want to see the archive shows that are only on the Daily Show’s website. Anyone figured out a way to see them from Canada?
And, man, that’s so ridiculous that Global and CTV could put a stranglehold on the content. It’s the same thing with Conan o’Brien on the NBC website… We’re just, as a nation, kept out of new media because of Global and CTV? Who does one complain to about this?
(On Oct 25th, 2007 at 9:34 pm)
The solution is easy: browse to the website under an IP allocated for use in the US via a proxy server. Implementation is not as easy. Find an IT friend to help you get going.