TORONTO and OTTAWA – Reaction to this week’s new draft copyright legislation was swift and predictably varied.
A coalition of Canada’s telecommunications, retail, Internet and technology companies and organizations, known as the Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright, largely supported the bill. But some parts of the legislation unfairly restrict consumer freedom and need to be revised before being passed by Parliament, such as the inability to circumvent digital locks for private use, the organization said in a statement.
The group includes the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, Bell Canada, Cogeco Cable, Rogers, Telus, Google, the CCSA and the Canadian Association of Internet Providers, among others.
The…
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OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Revenues at Canada’s AM and FM radio stations dropped 5.2% to $1.5 billion for the broadcast year ending August 31, 2009, a CRTC report said Thursday.
Expenses, however, also fell by approximately 1.7% to $1.2 billion in 2009, due in part to a reduction in the industry’s work force. The commercial radio industry employed 10,191 people and paid $632 million in total salaries for the 2009 fiscal year, compared to 10,347 people and $635.4 million in total salaries for 2008. Total profits before interest and taxes (PBIT) were $272 million for the fiscal year, and the PBIT margin fell to…
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MONTREAL and TORONTO – The government’s new copyright legislation will bring Canada in line with international standards while promoting home-grown innovation and creativity, according to Industry Minister Tony Clement and Heritage Minister James Moore.
"Today we are introducing a copyright bill that offers a common-sense balance between the interests of consumers and the rights of the creative community," said Minister Moore, in a statement on Wednesday. "The bill is flexible, reflects the changing behaviours of consumers and the evolution of technology, and responds to what we heard in the consultations."
Noting the popularity of Web 2.0, social media, and technologies like…
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OTTAWA – CBC/Radio-Canada says that it’s found a way to save money and cut its carbon footprint at the same time.
The pub ‘caster is accelerating the replacement of incandescent TV production lighting with the more efficient and flexible LED (Light Emitting Diode) in its various studios. LED lighting has been widely accepted by the entertainment industry for lighting effects and set lighting, mainly because of its flexibility. The light source reduces power consumption, has a longer bulb life and a single light source can generate a variety of colours
“This is innovation at its best,” said president and CEO Hubert…
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OTTAWA – Last June, when it released its report on new media, the CRTC decided it would continue to exempt the Internet and wireless providers from regulation in Canada.
However, it also asked the Federal Court of Canada to take a look at whether it could consider Internet Service providers as broadcasters after all.
The court will hear arguments from both sides today in Ottawa. The ISPs, of course, say no way. Content creators say that yes, because they transmit video, ISPs certainly should be considered akin to BDUs (and perhaps be made to pay a Canadian-content-making fee, like BDUs…
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OTTAWA – Late Monday Industry Minister Tony Clement let his Twitter followers know that the federal government’s latest attempt at reforming copyright in Canada will be coming soon.
“Currently in HoC, reading latest draft of amendments to Copyright Act…people before you tweet back, let’s await the Bill’s intro. Fair?” wrote the minister.
Well, we don’t exactly know which day the new copyright bill is coming, but thanks to University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist, it’s up for introduction this week.
“An Act to Amend the Copyright Act” will hit the house this week. Will copying songs from a CD to your…
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VANCOUVER – Telus is paving the way for Canadians to manage their personal healthcare records electronically.
Powered by Microsoft HealthVault, Telus health space is a high-security data storage and sharing service where individual Canadians will be able to keep all their personal healthcare information – such as lab results and prescription information – in an on-line database for access over any Internet connection. It is now available for licensing by healthcare organizations including provincial governments, health authorities, hospitals, insurers, individual practitioners and employers, the company said Monday.
“Today is an important day for Telus, and our partners in the health industry…
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OTTAWA – Cell phone customers in Canada can now receive free Amber Alerts to help in the safe return of abducted children.
Canada’s wireless telecommunications industry, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Amber Alert agencies across the country, introduced the wireless Amber Alerts service Wednesday in Ottawa.
“Canadians have been turning to their cell phones for safety and security for 25 years now,” said Bernard Lord, president and CEO of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA), in a statement. “And now, if one of our most precious citizens is abducted, Wireless Amber Alerts…
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OTTAWA – The time has come to eliminate wholesale regulation of retail Internet services, two of the countries largest communications companies tell Cartt.ca. They say intermodal competition – cable versus DSL versus wireless – has rendered the need for a wholesale access regime unnecessary.
The comments come as the CRTC prepares to hear oral arguments in a very broad hearing dealing with wholesale access to certain broadband facilities. The proceeding, launched with Telecom Notice of Consultation 2009-261 begins on Monday.
“I don’t think wholesale is going to help the future of broadband in Canada. I think it could…
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IROQUOIS, ON – Ross Video CEO David Ross received the Telfer School of Management Private Sector Leadership Award at the 2010 Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance Innovation Awards Gala last week.
Named after the University of Ottawa Telfer School of Management, this award is presented to an individual from the private sector in recognition of outstanding technological innovation and corporate leadership which has significantly expanded the frontiers of Canada’s advanced technology industry.
Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATAAlliance) is the largest high tech association in Canada.
www.rossvideo.comwww.cata.ca
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