Canada erects protectionist barriers to protect its faltering rock'n'roll industry.

[onodera]

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/dire-straits-money-for-nothing-banned-in-canada-20110114

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council has ruled that "Money for Nothing," a Dire Straits hit from 1985, is too offensive for Canadian airwaves. The song is being singled out for the repeated use of an anti-gay slur — "that little fаggot" — in its second verse.

This hasn't stopped some Canadian classic rock radio stations from playing the song. In the days since the ruling, stations in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Edmonton, Alberta have protested the decision by playing an unedited version of the song on repeated for a full hour.

Dire Straits keyboardist Guy Fletcher shared songwriter Mark Knopfler's reaction in the forum of his website, writing "Mark tells me that due to the ban, he has now substituted the word fаggot for 'fudger'...for Canada."

Though "Money for Nothing" has been a staple of rock radio for over two decades, the move to ban the song came as a result of a complaint by a listener in St. John's, Newfoundland. The ruling does not ban the song outright — versions with the offending words edited out are safe for airplay.

Censorship
Canada
Dire Straits

[Wezil]

"protectionist barriers"?

WTF? Can your thread title be any more wrong?

[Cort Haus]

Yes Ondera. Clearly Canadian bands are being held back by the playing of Money for Nothing on the radio.

I remember hearing back in the day that the lyrics referred to Knopfler quoting someone he overheard slagging him (Knopfler) off and describing him as a little ******.

[Wezil]

The CBSC is a voluntary industry organisation that is complaint driven.

Apparently one (1) little ****** on the east coast complained about the song and the CBSC came down with this absurd ruling.

[Wezil]

I remember hearing back in the day that the lyrics referred to Knopfler quoting someone he overheard slagging him (Knopfler) off and describing him as a little ******.

I have heard 50 different stories of the song's origin in the last few days.

[Tuberski]

Canada

ACK!

[DaShi]

I thought Canada only produced songs about going to the mall...today.

[Wezil]

Canada

ACK!

Someone else unaware of the concept.

The government had **** all to do with this.

[Docfeelgood]

WOW!
And I thought only America was fvcked up.
Shame that this ignorance is contagious.

[Tuberski]

Someone else unaware of the concept.

The government had **** all to do with this.

I didn't say Canadian government, did I?

One person complains about a 25 year old song and the song is pulled, regardless of whether they are voluntary or not.

ACK!

[Tuberski]

WOW!
And I thought only America was fvcked up.
Shame that this ignorance is contagious.

Even worse, this is, as Wezil likes to point out, voluntary ignorance.

ACK!

[Wezil]

I didn't say Canadian government, did I?

One person complains about a 25 year old song and the song is pulled, regardless of whether they are voluntary or not.

ACK!

"Canada" didn't do it.

In fact, "Canada" thinks it's as ****ed up as you (America?) does.

[Tuberski]

"Canada" didn't do it.

In fact, "Canada" thinks it's as ****ed up as you (America?) does.

And yet, you'll jump in Asher's "America" threads and do the same thing I just did.

Rotten Canadians.

ACK!

[Wezil]

Differentiate between government and private and we would have no disagreement.

Yes, I criticise the US government.

[Wezil]

In fact Tuberski, this is similar in many respects to the Huck Finn controversy in your country right now. Do you hear me blaming your country for that?

Morons exist everywhere.