TORONTO – The subscription radio decision should have said something about signal security, and it didn’t do enough for Cancon, says the Canadian recording industry.
Calling the CRTC decision on subscription radio “short-sighted” the Canadian Recording Industry Association said in a press release, “Canada’s broadcast regulator failed to recognize the opportunity to hold the line on music piracy – threatening emerging online music businesses – and undervalued Canadian musical talent,” in the pay radio decision.
“CRIA’s members invest in excess of $50 million annually in the careers of Canadian artists and in the creation, production and distribution of their music,” said CRIA president Graham Henderson.
“The CRTC’s failure to ensure that the new digital subscription radio services hold the line against music piracy is short-sighted and a tremendous disappointment. There are relatively inexpensive and simple technological fixes out there. We had offered to work with the services, but the CRTC elected not to address this important issue. Furthermore, it threatens emerging online music businesses that are the natural partners of digital subscription services," he added.
“CRIA had urged the CRTC to exercise its authority to require any new digital subscription service to adopt content protection measures preventing digital signals from being downloaded, edited into individual songs and redistributed through peer-to-peer music swapping services and by other unauthorized means. The Commission’s licensing framework and accompanying decisions failed entirely to address this issue.”
CRIA didn’t note, however, that it is in the subscription services’ best interests to make sure the signal is secure so that people continue to pay to subscribe and that music producers don’t sue them for allowing the content to be ripped and webbed.
“In addition,” the release continues, “CRIA had requested that any new subscription radio service respect the policy objectives of Canada’s Broadcasting Act and make necessary commitments to Canadian content.
“It is unfortunate that the CRTC did not demand more from the proposed new services. While its approach to emerging Canadian talent warrants mention as innovative, overall its licensing framework represents a missed opportunity to offer Canadian consumers new means of accessing a significant volume of their favourite Canadian music,” says Henderson.
The decisions require the services to carry Canadian programming only on Canadian-specific channels, for a total of less than 10% of the overall available programming."
The position of CRIA, which represents the established recording industry, stands in contrast to independent artists who get little play and who don’t have record deals. Indie Pool, which represents 20,000 artists, approves of the licensing decision, as reported here.
