O’Farrell outlines CAB achievements, priorities in leadership report

At the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) convention on October 21, president and CEO Glenn O’Farrell outlined some of the priorities and achievements of the association in its annual leadership report. Areas of particular interest include closing the Internet retransmission loophole, securing a new direct-to-home (DTH) carriage and compensation deal on out-of-market signals, the Part II licence fee issue, and raising the issue of copyright reform. Below is an excerpt from his presentation. The full leadership report is available here. Since attending the Ottawa convention as the incoming CEO, the past nine months have been a lightning-speed learning experience. The past year has enabled me to gain a true understanding of the vitality of the private broadcasting industry in Canada, the role that public policy and regulation has on our business, and the job the CAB has to do as the voice of private broadcasters…Like our members, we have found ways to contain our costs while focussing on key deliverables…I’d like to give you a brief status report. …The loss of audiences and revenues to distant signals imported by DTH threatens smaller market, local broadcasters and their ability to meet local programming commitments. The CAB has negotiated a comprehensive solution with ExpressVu – providing both increased DTH carriage of local stations and compensation to television broadcasters to provide local programming (CCR, Oct. 10/02)…Our radio members have made it clear that copyright is their top priority. We mounted a forceful case against the copyright tariffs proposed by CMRRA-SODRAC for the reproduction of music by radio stations. The Copyright Board has acknowledged that it does not intend to approve the full tariff proposal. A decision is expected this fall. We successfully negotiated a settlement with the Canadian Private Copying Collective. CPCC will not be collecting a levy on blank computer-based media, thereby saving our members millions over the long-term. Reforming how we manage copyright in this country is key to all of us. The reference in the Speech From the Throne on copyright moves our issue onto the government’s agenda. Change will not happen overnight – realistically we are looking at a five-to-10-year project. Government and stakeholders together we must find ways to streamline the process and reduce the number of tariff hearings to ensure that the economic rent that broadcasters pay is taken into account when setting tariffs. …Progress has been made toward eliminating the unfair "second tax." Part II licence fees are currently costing Canadian broadcasters and distributors more than $90 million each year. Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps understands the impact of this unfair practice. Her officials have made a great deal of progress on this file, demonstrating the negative impact of this fee. We will continue to make this one of our top priorities, working towards fee reductions in the next fiscal year. Theft is theft. Satellite signals are no different. You’ll be hearing that a lot over the coming weeks. Later today we will launch a national awareness campaign. ...Sheila Copps honoured the commitment she made at our convention last year to introduce legislation to stop Internet retransmission. All five political parties banded together in the House of Commons to pass the historic Bill C-48, amending Section 31 of the Copyright Act closing the loophole in the Copyright Act that permitted Internet retransmission of television signals. We expect the Senate will give the bill quick passage. …To promote the reflection of Canada’s multicultural reality, private broadcasters have created the Cultural Diversity Task Force. An action plan has been presented, and a research strategy has been developed. …What does the future hold? In the months and years ahead, the CAB will continue to work...to make sure that the interests of private broadcasters are reflected in any policy shifts. Already we are developing a strategy that will bring us to the next CAB convention in Ottawa. We will be bringing the theme of Leadership Through Public Service to the doors of our 301 Members of Parliament, telling them the stories of what your stations do each day.

O’Farrell outlines CAB achievements, priorities in leadership report

News | 10/24/2002 4:00 am EDT

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