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Canada ISPs Not Subject To Content Rules, Court Says
silentbrad writes "Upholding a 2010 decision from the Federal Court of Appeal, the country's highest court said ISPs cannot be subject to the Broadcasting Act of 1991 because they have no control over the content they distribute. The ruling ends a years-old dispute over whether ISPs that deliver movies and television shows over their networks should be regulated as conventional broadcasters as well as telecommunications providers. A cultural coalition made up of several Canadian media industry groups — including the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) and others — argued ISPs should be required to help pay for the production of made-in-Canada music, films and television. Conventional broadcasters, of which Bell and Rogers already qualify, have long been required to do so by law."
Good ruling. Thanks Canada.
Since when is "public safety" the root password to the Constitution?
I really don't want to sponsor that crap anyway. I loathe it when Canadian channels feel the need to shove that crap down our throat and make a big deal about which show is Canadian or which star/band is Canadian. Maybe I'd resent it less if they didn't play up the distinction so much. Canadians used to make fun of american advertisements which said "America's favorite ____" or "America's #1 _____" because it seemed like *everything* was considered #1 in America, it was just slapped on to anything where it would apply. Now the same cliche is being applied to everything in Canada and it smacks of opportunism. If you want to get my attention, just make a good product and don't try and make everyone think it's special just because it's from the country in which they reside. That's just incidental, and it just makes you look arrogant if you believe something is better just because it's local. Everything should be judged on an equal level.
After all, ISPs don't just deliver movies, despite what the RIAA/MPAA/Stephen Harper say about the amount of piracy in Canada
My knowledge of triangles reigns supreme!
And yet, you still can't triforce.
While I like this ruling, I completely disagree that ISPs have no control.
They do not have the same type of control as television, but they have the ability to control everything if they saw fit.
And are exercising more and more control all the time.
Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
I am sick of having my "Culture" dictated to me from Ontario. Canada has thousands of cultures. But in summary our culture is primarily a mix of British and American. Just check out our spelling and pronunciation. So a mix of British and American content serves me just fine.
The worst part of the Can Con crap is that it suffers the problem of any single source of wealth. A tiny few have mastered draining this well before anyone else can get a taste. Then they pump out some crap starring Gordon Pinsent or some other Canadian "No-fail-mainstay". I am not sure is the worst Canadian genre: when Torontonians try to imitate sophisticated New Yorkers, when they are covering "important issues" such as Indians or gay kids being bullied, or some depressing crap about some salt of the earth town that has collapsed resulting in domestic abuse and drinking. The Canada of most Canadians is none of the above. I strongly doubt that Canadians download hardly a lick of anything made in Canada about Canada. But that is not to say good stuff isn't made here. Stargate, battlestar galatica, and the x-files were all made here but they weren't aimed as Canadian Content. They were just smart people making good shows. No internet tax required.
Then there is our public radio CBC. Some of it is great but nearly every show is regularly interrupted while they showcase some band that would have trouble getting a gig at a shady nightclub.
If i get this right that "coalition" wanted companies like rogers and bell to pay twice for movies and television show's that they already pay $$$ to the tv company they pay money to to show that channel?
The Trailer Park Boys.
Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
Such a true shame.
It will get a little publicity now. But it'll be forgotten in a few months and another case will be brought up, regardless of this ruling.
I hope that all forms of greed and unjust enrichment are shot down like this. Listen Artists, if you aren't making enough money, it's not because people are stealing from you, it's because you suck. (either at marketing your production or your productions themselves) I believe that people do pay for materials they believe justify it, and if it's not up to the customer what things should cost, then our whole economic system is based on BS.
Never say never. Ah!! I did it again!
Network companies should be just that, offering network access and not be broadcasters, telephone, and content providers all in one.
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
they have no control over the content they distribute
... unless it's P2P content. Lest we not forget types of "control" such as throttling and packet detection. I'm sure the language of this ruling will be great for the giant ISPs to have in their back pockets in the near future.
Content Providers are one of the few businesses industries where the businesses actively hate their customers and do everything they can do to make things harder and more expensive for their customers.
Its really amazing when you compare it to a more traditional retail or services business.
You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
that we can finally get Hulu and other US based services in Canada now? What about merging the US content from Netflix into the CDN one...?
I like Canada, but just as here in America, it is all about government over reach and control.