This is part two of a three-part feature. Please read part one here.
By Doug Barrett, adjunct professor in the Arts, Media & Entertainment MBA program at the Schulich School of Business
In my last piece, I suggested that the critical definition of Canadian Content was that set out in the Income Tax Act and Regulations and administered by the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO) and asked why the ongoing debate focused instead on the definition used by the CRTC.
In this piece, I’d like to look a little closer at the CAVCO role. In my…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
Google is asking the Federal Court of Appeal to allow it to argue that the CRTC should have included in its new broadcasting fee regulations an explicit exemption for advertisements that are placed on user-generated content.
The CRTC ordered in March a new way it was going to calculate revenues and collect fees for its operations, lowering traditional broadcasting obligations with the transfer of some of that collection to online platforms in line with the new Online Streaming Act that will bring the latter services under its ambit.
During the intervention phase of that 2023 proceeding,…
Continue Reading
By Doug Barrett, adjunct professor in the Arts, Media & Entertainment MBA program at the Schulich School of Business
It is well known that the Canadian government has directed the CRTC to review its definition of Canadian content, and that the Commission is currently wrapping up a vast series of Canada-wide and industry-wide consultations on the topic. Everyone is treating this as an important and vital process.
But the CRTC is not the principle Canadian content certification authority. That role belongs to the Canadian Audio-Visual Certification Office (CAVCO). CAVCO is an office within the Department of Canadian Heritage which certifies the…
Continue Reading
By Connie Thiessen
The 2024 federal budget includes support for media and the cultural industries, with a focus on bolstering publicly-funded broadcasting, fortifying the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI), and championing diverse storytelling in film and television.
Budget 2024, released Tuesday, proposes to provide an additional $42 million in 2024-25 for CBC/Radio-Canada news and entertainment programming, on top of its $1.4-billion public funding allocation.
CBC President and CEO Catherine Tait said in a statement that the one-time funding would help the corporation “manage its financial challenges in a more stable manner.”
“This is welcome news. This investment, together with the steps we have taken…
Continue Reading
Bell confirms April 11 appearance before Heritage committee
In a message titled “Facts Matter” published Thursday on its website, Bell outlined what it says are the facts about its recent restructuring, which includes the elimination of 4,800 positions across the telecom and media company.
The web post appears to have been prompted by what Bell sees as inaccurate information circulating about the situation, saying, “As some distort the truth, here are the facts about Bell’s restructuring as announced on February 8.”
“Bell is supporting each affected team member with…
Continue Reading
During CBC’s broadcast of the Juno Awards on Sunday night, Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge announced the federal government is renewing and boosting the Canada Music Fund to help Canadian music creators.
Federal funding of $32 million will be delivered over the next two years (2024-25 and 2025-26) “to keep supporting initiatives that enhance the careers of Canadian artists, while strengthening the competitiveness and stability of the Canadian music sector,” says a press release Sunday from Canadian Heritage.
The funding will be administered by the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR)…
Continue Reading
Unifor members held a media conference and rally in Ottawa on Tuesday “to call out Bell Canada Enterprises Inc. (BCE) for postponing a scheduled hearing before the House of Commons Heritage Committee to answer for the recent termination of 9% of BCE’s workforce,” says a Unifor press release.
But a Bell representative told Cartt that Tuesday’s hearing postponement was requested by the Heritage committee clerk, who confirmed that to be the case.
“The Clerk of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage requested Bell postpone its appearance at committee that was originally scheduled for…
Continue Reading
Canadian Heritage announced Thursday permanent funding for the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO).
The department said it is committing $65 million over five years starting in 2024-2025 and then $13 million annually afterward to the independent and indigenous-led organization fostering of on-screen indigenous storytelling
“The funding will enable more First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to tell their own stories and see themselves reflected on screen,” said a press release.
“It provides stability, increases Indigenous self-determination, and allows the ISO to develop long-term relationships with partners and sponsors,” it added. “This announcement builds off work in the Online Streaming Act to support Indigenous storytelling and help audiences…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC wants to know whether news publishers that fail to strike a deal with online platforms to host their content should be required to immediately use CRTC staff for mediation, rather than an external third party.
The concern from the regulator – which launched the consultation period Wednesday on the implementation of the Online News Act – is that much of the allotted 120-day mediation period could be consumed by a search and then agreement on that third party mediator, notwithstanding the cost to smaller news businesses.
“Given that Commission staff already offers mediation services to resolve certain…
Continue Reading
Foreign investments in Canada’s interactive digital media sector by entities owned or influenced by foreign states — particularly states engaging in activities that could pose a risk to Canada’s national security — will be subject to enhanced scrutiny from now on, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne and Minister of Canadian Heritage Pascale St-Onge announced Friday.
For the purpose of the new policies announced by ISED and Heritage clarifying the application of the Investment Canada Act to investments involving interactive digital media (IDM), IDM is defined as digital content and…
Continue Reading
