OTTAWA — The Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) today launched a new campaign urging the federal government to pass Bill C-11, officially called the Online Streaming Act, which aims to update Canada’s broadcasting legislation.
CMPA’s campaign includes advertising, social media content and a microsite where Canadian independent producers are encouraged to write their Member of Parliament to ask them to support the passing of the proposed bill.
Through the campaign, the CMPA is calling on the government “to end the free ride for foreign web giants, currently able to operate outside of the country’s federal broadcasting legislation and regulations,” explains a press release announcing the new advocacy campaign.
“Canada’s Broadcasting Act was last updated three decades ago when there was no home internet, were no streaming services, and VCRs were the height of on-demand technology; the world has changed, but our laws have not kept up,” said the CMPA’s president and CEO, Reynolds Mastin, in the release.
“The hardworking people who work in Canadian film and television production are asking the government to level the playing field. We encourage supporters to visit cmpa.ca/PassBillC11 to let their elected officials know it’s time to pass the Online Streaming Act.”
The CMPA represents more than 600 independent Canadian production companies engaged in the development, production and distribution of English-language content for television, cinema and digital media channels.
Image borrowed from the CMPA’s Pass Bill C-11 microsite.
