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CRTC Mulls Canadian Content On the Internet
PsiCTO writes "The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is going to weigh Internet content regulation — this could mean requiring some amount of Canadian content coming across Canadian pipes. The CRTC is akin to the FCC. They get that they can't 'regulate' the Internet, but are proposing to promote additional Canadian content in some way, as is currently done with radio and TV content. Likely they will discuss tax credits, subsidies, grants, or other traditional mechanisms. What do people think about this? Are there similar efforts, existing or proposed, in other countries?"
This is net neutrality in action. Once you hand over responsibility to the government, your service is only as good as those in power see fit. Internet censorship becomes a political whim, to be used when it is politically profitable for campaigns.
So are we now going to get goverment subsidised canadian porn? For that matter, get the canadian goverment to ensure that canadian slashdot readers get the right percentage of canadian first posts?
I don't know what they smoke in canada but it got to be good.
MMO Quests are like orgasms:
You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.
Canadian Content laws may be controversial, but there is no denying that it has helped Canadian art and artists flourish. Personally, I don't mind paying a few extra bucks each year on my tax return, if it means I get to live in a richer, more interesting society as a result.
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
What is special about "Canadian content" anyhow? The whole notion of nationalism needs to begin fading into the background. If there is something unique of value that the Canadian gov't brings to its citizens, fine, but an attempt to promote the Canadian brand by the government is not really useful in the big picture. If there is something great to publish, then there is no real barrier to its being published. This is just branding and it's a waste of time.
Currently hooked on AMP
As a Canadian, I'm ashamed that our tax dollars are being wasted like this. The WORLD WIDE web is GLOBAL. Attempting to enforce (or even encourage) Canadian content on the WORLD WIDE web is simply stupid. Even with their alternate methods (tax credits, subsidies, grants, etc.), it's simply stupid. I have troubles supporting CanCon on radio and TV but on the WORLD WIDE web? Nah. That's just a waste of time and money.
Of course this sort of thing exists in other countries, at least for broadcast media. France, for example, has quotas on both television and radio content.
I'm not sure that it makes as much sense for the Internet, though. The French idea is that you have limited broadcast time, and without a quota, they'd be playing American music and television shows 24/7. Maybe that makes sense, but with the Internet, you don't have the same broadcasting limits. People choose what they want to listen to with ease, actively seeking out their preferred content from any number of sources.
They can promote domestic content all they want, and it might even be a good thing, but it's not going to have the same "cultural preservation" effects as with broadcast media.
"Anyone who [rips a CD] is probably engaging in copyright infringement." - David O. Carson
If the CRTC wants to encourage Canadian Content on the net, maybe they could lobby Ottawa to create tax breaks for using local companies and carbon-footprint shrinking solutions. I just recently changed my host to a Canadian provider who uses Green Energy for their datacentre and I feel pretty happy about that. I suspect plenty of personal and professional Canadian users would do the same if there was even the most reasonable incentive to do so given out by the Gov.
And best thing about this plan: it wouldn't even require 1 out of every 100 homepages to be an Alanis Morsette or Celine Dion tribute page. (thank God...)
Let me translate this for you:
Dear Canadian-based content providers....
We in the government would like very much if you would kindly move your servers and business operations to another country, and create a holding company that remains in Canada to distribute the income from the foreign operations.
We of course, will not make you do this, so we are now adopting regulations to make it very clear that we really want you to do it.
Thank you for your consideration.
We live in a predominantly capitalist society.
Canada has about 30 million consumers, and the US has about 300 million.
Even among Canadians there are many distinct cultures that are truly Canadian.
But attempts to produce content that appeals to any fraction of Canadians can quickly get drowned out by whatever drivel all the US teenagers are interested it.
As far as North America is concerned, Canadians are a minority, and the government is trying to do it's part to make sure that the minority voice is loud enough to be heard over the endless drone of American consumerism.
I hope this doesn't mean they expect me to download nickleback mp3's
I don't think anybody would object to you paying a few extra bucks each year to a charity that produced Canadian content if you think that makes your society richer and more interesting.
But do you really think Canadian content would die if Canadians weren't forced to pay for it? If not, why do you think it needs to be funded by taxes? If yes, doesn't it mean most of you don't think it's a worthwhile investment in your society?
-- Support a free market in the field of government
I'd argue that it's one of the few things we here in Britain have going for us nowadays- the BBC.
The BBC produces some excellent content and shares it worldwide such as Planet Earth and gets involved in various co-productions with foreign companies such as HBO in the US. Some people love BBC news, others hate it but overall the BBC is a top notch content producer when it comes to (lots of people love Top Gear, Doctor Who etc.).
The situation with the BBC isn't quite the same as that described but it is similar. I think the BBC is largely quite respected worldwide for the content it produces to and whilst many things make Britain look like an awful country nowadays, I'd argue the BBC isn't one of them and in fact is one of the few things that shows us in a positive light.
It may sound bad but really it's not, we pay a TV license here which funds the BBC and they also have BBC Worldwide a commercial arm that sells DVDs of their content and such on the world stage to help fund international content too. As such if your setup follows the latter model- by charging reasonable amounts for some, but not all of the foreign content the cost isn't going to be much, but more people will become aware of Canadian culture.
It does have benefits.
And it's on-topic, too (at least after 1:20).
When it comes to the Internet, though, I think this is completely wrong (as has probably been stated here). When we're watching TV, we can either watch the American channels, with 99% American programming, or the Canadian networks, with about 75% American programming. The Canadian shows will always end up on the Canadian channels. With the Intertubes, wouldn't we really just be choosing to watch American or Canadian content directly?
I like to place meaningful quotes in my sig, so people will know that I know what meaningful quotes are.
Stupid Stupid idea.
Mandatory Canadian content in Radio and TV are also stupid ideas.
I understand the reason. We Canadians are BOMBARDED by US culture, radio, tv, etc... I see the need to have some Canadian identity in there.
However they are going about it all wrong. I know some radio has a hard time meeting the content quota, and what happens is a lot of the same crappy songs get played, really only because they are Canadian. This isn't what we should be promoting.
What we should be doing is having programs and money from government to sponsor the arts. The rest will follow.
On top of that, the internet is much different than radio and TV and it makes even less sense in this context.