OTTAWA – The Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) has asked the federal government to ensure that “businesses are not excessively encumbered in the fast-moving digital media environment” as it drafts new copyright legislation.
In a formal submission on Monday, CAB offered two key recommendations to the federal government’s consultation process on copyright reform.
The first is that broadcasters not be forced to pay multiple copyright fees for incidental acts such as backing up their digital servers and making copies of the music files stored on those servers. The second suggests that, along with new legislation, the federal government should overhaul the way that copyright is administered “to strike the right balance between seamless access to content and fair payment to the owners of that content”.
“Private broadcasters recommend that the comprehensive review of the copyright legislation proceed immediately to allow the media industry to function effectively in the digital economy,” said Margot Patterson, CAB general counsel and VP of legal affairs, in a statement. “CAB member companies have asked for a more stable regime, so that private broadcasters don’t have to face unpredictable and increasing layers of costs and rights clearance, particularly at a time when their focus must be on remaining innovative as content providers in the digital economy.”
CAB also said that copyright legislation “that creates a predictable and technologically advanced framework” with “clear and predictable rules” is what’s needed to support growth in Canadian media services.
