TORONTO — Speaking at last week’s annual OAB Connection conference — where the theme was “Futureproofing Broadcasting” — the CRTC’s Ontario commissioner, Monique Lafontaine, urged attendees to work with the regulator to find innovative and collaborative ways to tackle the complex issues facing the industry and to ensure its future success.
“Indeed, broadcasters and regulators face difficult challenges. Meeting these challenges — to ensure the futureproofing of our system — requires innovation, collaboration and investment in our work force,” Lafontaine (pictured) said. “The CRTC is keen to work with broadcasters and industry stakeholders. I urge all of you and your industry associations to take an active role in all relevant CRTC proceedings and initiatives where possible.”
Lafontaine concluded her speech by saying: “By continuing to collaborate, I’m confident that we and our system will succeed.”
Before delivering her concluding comments, Lafontaine had given the audience a summary of various CRTC and ISED initiatives — some that are ongoing and some that have produced results in the last year.
She started by giving a preview of some of the findings from the CRTC’s upcoming 2019 Communications Monitoring Report, which is scheduled to be released in a few weeks. Among the highlights:
- Canadian adults continue to spend significantly more time connecting with traditional broadcasters:
- On average, they spend 14.6 hours each week listening to radio stations, compared to 8.1 hours listening to online services.
- The gap is even wider with television content — 26.2 hours are spent each week watching traditional TV and 3.2 hours watching content online.
- Teens are relying less on traditional platforms for their content:
- Canadians aged 12-17 years old spend 4.4 hours each week listening to the radio and 13.9 hours watching TV.
Here’s a rundown of the CRTC and ISED initiatives that Lafontaine touched on during her speech:
- Harnessing Change report — released last year (May 2018)
- Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel — report expected to be released in early 2020
- Commercial Radio Policy Review proceeding — stay tuned for more information coming soon
- Co-development of a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy proceeding — engagement sessions are now underway across Canada
- Broadband Fund — first call for applications issued in June; second call for applications issued November 13
- Women in Production Summit — held in December 2018; resulted in major broadcasters releasing their gender parity action plans in late September; CRTC will next engage with smaller broadcasters on the same issue
- Digital monitoring system for radio broadcasters — project now underway to help build an authoritative database on Canadian music and to support a modernized approach to market analysis
