Mommy, how did we lose the game?

Research by the Cégep de Jonquière in 1971 answered this question through a famous song mommyBy Mark Gelinas and Gilles Richer.

Dominique Michel, then Pauline Julien sang this heartbreaking song (according to Sophie Durocher in her history last year). Émile Proulx-Cloutier took up the same theme in his song momBut this time he speaks local languages.

As for the French who say “we lost the game”, if we rely on Segep de Janquier’s survey of students in art and media technology, Gelinas and Richer’s conclusion seems correct. Last September, the organization made public the disappointing results of this research.

While Quebec media is the future work environment for many young people studying at this popular CEGEP, they consume very little Quebec media.

Nine out of 10 students look at TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook every day. YouTube (86.9%) and Netflix (85.4%) are their most watched viewing platforms, well ahead of those that offer mainly Quebec content. Half of French-speaking college students mostly or always watch series and movies in English. The same goes for the music and songs they listen to mostly in English. Only 3.6% listen to songs mainly in French.

English songs are popular

So it is not surprising that it shows this revolution, Star Academy where Live from the universe Contains a lot of English music and songs. As for the written press, don’t rely on it to promote the use of French. Only 3.3% of youth are interested in newspapers!

The only exception is podcasts. At the moment, students prefer to listen to them in French because it is easier and there are no pictures to understand. Tomorrow, they will probably hear them in English.

I always find it hard to believe my grandchildren (who are between 20 and 40) who say they don’t watch the Quebec series that much. run away, That’s how I love you where Beautiful inconveniences. There is only daily District 31 Or like the old series short life Some of them were favorable. When they come to my house, their kids (ages 3-10) spend hours on TikTok and YouTube. They sometimes watch Télé-Québec, but never TVA and Radio-Canada. Unless otherwise, unexpectedly, their interest and their passions will surely be tomorrow’s Cegep students of Jonquière.

Our culture has no appetite

It was not Bill 96 or the Frenchization campaigns that changed the situation. It is equally delusional to believe that closing the doors of English CEGEPs to French speakers will improve the French situation.

A few years ago, CEGEP students from Jonquière, like all CEGEP students in Quebec, had a general knowledge of media and Quebec culture. This knowledge allowed them to have a common reference base. According to teachers this is no longer the case. The investigation revealed this matter beyond doubt.

Unfortunately, there is no appetite for Quebec culture among young people. A very sad fact. ” Oh mommy, mommy, how did we lose the game? »