Search Results for: Canadian Heritage

Radio / Television News

ANALYSIS: Five questions need answers before we set new policy for a digital Canada (Question #2)

WITH THE REVIEW OF the Broadcasting Act (Telecom and Radiocom, too) now under way, as was announced Tuesday, we’re all very anxious to hear what Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly will have to say about it this weekend when she addresses the Banff International Media Fest (Cartt.ca will have a reporter in the room, of course). Now, since we’re looking at at least another year of discussion and debate, the best course of action to solve such tricky and complex policy challenges is to ask (and answer) the right questions in the right order – and right now…. Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

Review of Telecom, Broadcasting and Radiocommunication Acts launched today (UPDATED)

OTTAWA – The federal government today officially launched its promised review of the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Acts with a seven member panel of thinkers and experts who will also look at updating the Radiocommunications Act. (So, it's not just Joly's panel, as we had surmised earlier...) “New technology, like streaming services, has changed the way that Canadians connect with each other, do business and discover, access and consume content. Now more than ever, Canadians go online. To keep up with these changes we must modernize our legislative framework so that Canadian artists, artisans, businesses, consumers and broadcasters… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

ANALYSIS: Five questions need answers before we set new policy for a digital Canada

OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT promised a review of the Broadcasting and Telecommunication Acts in its 2017 budget and last week the CRTC took the first step down this path when it issued: Harnessing Change: The Future of Programming Distribution in Canada. While it floated a number of interesting, innovative and controversial ideas, we’re all anxious to hear what Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly will have to say about it this weekend when she addresses the Banff International Media Fest. There, we hear she is likely to announce the appointment of a worthy and carefully chosen panel of experts to undertake a year-long… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

“All players benefitting from the Canadian broadcasting system” should help fund it: CRTC report

OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC proposed some new tools and regulatory approaches Thursday designed to support the production and promotion of Canadian audio and video content. The report, Harnessing Change: The Future of Programming Distribution in Canada, is meant to aid the Feds’ pending overhaul of the Broadcasting and Telecom Acts by offering “important context and policy options”. “This report does not set out specific timelines or predictions, nor does it attempt to prescribe policy”, reads the introduction.  “Rather, it comes to conclusions on the types of change needed to the legislative and regulatory frameworks given the likely market… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

ANALYSIS: Why Canada’s response to the Facebook scandal has been so weak

By Sara Bannerman and Charnjot Shokar FACEBOOK'S APOLOGY TOUR made a stop in Europe last week, but did little to soothe concerns about the threats that social media platforms pose to privacy and election integrity. Compared to other regions like Europe that have proposed relatively robust measures, the Canadian response has been, so far, lacklustre. The European Union’s tough new privacy laws came into effect last week. The United States government has introduced the Honest Ads Act to address social media election manipulation. Australia is investigating Google for tracking Android users’ location and web histories. Meanwhile in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reaching out to tech… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Could emergency alert prompt more Canadians to vote?

TORONTO – Canadian entrepreneur and broadcaster Evan Kosiner wants the Feds and the CRTC to use the National Alert Aggregation & Dissemination System (NAAD System) to urge Canadians to vote in their upcoming provincial and municipal elections. In a statement Wednesday, Kosiner said that he wrote a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly and the Commission asking them to “use their power” to promote civic engagement. "If due to government bureaucracy it doesn't fall into the "emergency" category, the innovator in me suggests it perhaps it could be conveniently another test day that happens to mention to "Get out… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

While waiting on Netflix tax answer, Senate examines Google loophole

OTTAWA – The Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications  this week met representatives from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), Canadian Heritage and the Department of Finance to talk about the deductibility of foreign internet advertising, as raised by the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting in a new report which suggest closing a certain loophole. Cartt.ca reported on this last week, where Friends suggests advertising on foreign online platforms like Facebook and Google should not be tax deductible, bringing it in line with how purchasing ad time on American TV and radio stations is not deductible for… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News, Radio / Television News

CRTC to release future of content report; sources say Joly will then launch a new year-long Act consult

OTTAWA-GATINEAU – On Thursday morning, the CRTC will release its new report into the future distribution models for content in Canada, which it was asked to do by the Governor-in-Council in September 2017. The report, called “Harnessing Change: The Future of Programming Distribution in Canada,” is meant to aid an overhaul of the Broadcasting and Telecom Acts by answering the three main questions which were posed by the Order-in-Council from Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly: the distribution model or models of programming that are likely to exist in the future how and through whom Canadians… Continue Reading

Cable / Telecom News

Christianne Laizner makes CRTC vice-chair telecom role official

GATINEAU – Christianne M. Laizner is the new full-time telecommunications vice-chairperson at the CRTC, a role that she has held on interim basis since last July. Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly announced Laizner’s appointment early Thursday.  Her five year term will officially begin on July 17, 2018, making her the first female vice-chairperson of telecommunications in the CRTC’s 50-year history. Laizner (pictured) first joined the CRTC in 2010 as general counsel, telecommunications before being named the Commission’s senior general counsel in 2013, and then executive director of the CRTC legal sector. She was called to the Ontario Bar in 1982… Continue Reading

Radio / Television News

Joly to open Banff Fest

TORONTO – Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages Mélanie Joly will kick off the 2018 Banff World Media Festival this year with a keynote speech Sunday, June 10th at 4:30 p.m. Now in its 39th year, the Banff Fest is recognized globally as a one of the most important markets for executives working in the content industry. In addition, Banff hosts The Rockie Awards Program Competition, juried by a panel of 115 international industry professionals and covering all major genres, and the Rockie Awards Gala, which recognizes outstanding talent and celebrates some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names.   The Continue Reading