OTTAWA – Parliament should ensure Canada’s broadcasting legislation “keeps step with the times”, including proper accountability and transparency, even if it means restructuring the CRTC, said Canada’s largest media union.
The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP) told the Heritage Committee on Monday that Canada’s big broadcasting corporations were “supposed to strengthen local stations not close them down”, and the CRTC must share the blame for allowing that to happen.
"Parliament needs to reshape the CRTC, review the Broadcasting Act, and consider whether Canada needs converged communications legislation geared to the 21st century to address consolidated media ownership, telecommunications and digital media, said CEP’s vice president of media, Peter Murdoch, in a statement.
"The reality is that 20 years of CRTC laissez-faire deregulation have given Canadians skyrocketing spending on foreign content and fewer jobs. Instead of strengthening local stations, Canada’s largest broadcasters have converted many into nothing short of news bureaus, without regulatory oversight”, he contiuned.
