CNM Short Takes

CorrectionA Dec. 11 story on Bill C-11 incorrectly ascribed to Canadian Association of Broadcasters senior VP of legal affairs Erica Redler statements that the legislation might shut down Aliant Telecom Inc.’s TV on my PC service. The article should have reflected that only the over-the-air portion of the transmissions would be affected. CNM apologizes for the error. Retransmission bill receives Royal Assent, but still not lawNeither officials from Canadian Heritage nor Industry Canada can say when Bill C-11 will come into force after it received Royal Assent on Dec. 13. The bill, which would deny the protection of a compulsory licence to retransmit over-the-air TV signals via the Internet to anyone operating under the 1999 New Media Exemption Order, is the subject of presumably heated discussions between the offices of ministers Sheila Copps and Allan Rock. One industry player, Aliant Telecom Inc., has made it clear that it would like a delay in the bill’s coming into force to allow it time to apply to the CRTC for an experimental licence for its TV on my PC service - a portion of which is under threat of shutting down when C-11 takes effect (CNM, Dec. 11/02). One Heritage official tells CNM that the outcome of a CRTC process to examine Internet retransmission, expected to report back to Cabinet on Jan. 17, will play a role in determining the coming-into-force date. Relations between Heritage and Industry, already strained, are reported to have been further disquieted over the issue of lifting foreign investment limits on communications companies (see affiliate publication Canadian Communications Reports, Dec. 13/02). It was noted throughout the process of drafting and moving the legislation through Parliament that the departments were working to cross-purposes, and a quick agreement between the organizations on this contentious topic is unlikely given new tensions (CNM, Mar. 7/02). Elections Canada gives up case in vote web site prosecutionElections Canada won’t appeal the dismissal in a Nova Scotia provincial court of the case against Ivan Smith. Smith is alleged to have published results from two byelections before polls closed. ACTRA to vote on dues hikeThe Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) finance committee has recommended an increase in the dues it charges members to continue its advocacy campaigns. A bulletin to ACRTA members cites as one reason for the increased funding needs:" need to fight for Canadian production. It is imperative that we make performers’ voices heard in the political arena again. For years the broadcasters have spent millions of dollars influencing government policy. That policy has resulted in a dramatic decline in Canadian indigenous production. If ACTRA does not fight this battle, performers may soon find that there is no indigenous Canadian film and television production and that we are purely a U.S. service industry. We propose to hire a top-notch public policy specialist to advocate full-time for performers." Further, the union has also cited the need for greater research and negotiation resources as it goes to bat for members in negotiations with Hollywood studios. As a result, full-time members have until January 3 to vote on two questions, one on dues and one on the Performers Rights Society (PRS) service charges and one on a dues change: Basic dues increase from $130 to $175 a year Working dues increase from 1.75% to 2% of earnings Dues cap increases to 2% of the first $150,000 earned (from $2,000 to $3,000) PRS service charge of 5% of monies collected on behalf of full members. Each referendum question requires a 50% plus one vote to pass. TVSTARS extends deadline for potential reality show rolesVancouver-based TVSTARS Entertainment has extended until the end of February an open casting call for its web-only reality show (CNM, July 10/02). Principal Adam Toren tells Canadian NEW MEDIA the extension was granted at the behest of candidates who heard "late in the game" about the show. Toren also says, "we have been speaking regularly with an interested party in Japan who would like to buy the concept/script outline for the Asian market. The script has evolved into a major production, and we are talking with two American companies now about the direction of the show." Twelve projects win October round Bell new media fundingThe Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund has awarded over $2.5 million in production grants to eight English and four French productions. The TV show and associated online components, with the producers of each, are: 2030 CE II/2030ce.tv; Mind’s Eye Pictures and Minds Eye Interactive Alienated; Bright Light Pictures and SNAP Media Chilly Beach/Polar Magnate; March Entertainment Great Canadian Rivers III/Great Canadian Rivers; Good Earth Productions/Digital Wizards Inc. King/The World of Under Adventures; FunBag Animation and Decode Entertainment Manic Organic; Breakthrough Films and Television Inc. Seahunters/Shipwreck Central; Eco-Nova Productions Ltd. Wildfiles/wildfiles.tv; Reel Girls Media Seven projects received development grants: PG.tv, Collideascope Entertainment Inc., SIN CITIES.tv, Paradigm Pictures, SMILIN’ PERRY ONLINE, Decode Entertainment Inc., WAPOS BAY NEW MEDIA, and Dark Thunder Productions. The Banff Television Festival received professional development funding for its 2003 Banff Cyberpitch. An extended list including the associated TV broadcasters and individual producers is available at http://www.ipf.ca/Bell/BFEnglish/BFWhatsNewDec2_02.html. Cirque du Soleil pulls plug on international complexesCirque du Soleil has pulled the plug on the international complexes it proposed to develop worldwide – a project that was to be overseen by former Quebec broadcaster TVA executive Daniel Lamarre. The Cirque du Soleil announced that construction would not proceed on a prototype complex that was to be built in Montreal. The decsion was made after a financial analysis of the undertakings. Lamarre is a former chair of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. Iceberg operations merging smoothly into Standard: SlaightStandard Radio Inc. president/CEO Gary Slaight tells Canadian NEW MEDIA that it has almost completed integrating the operations of Iceberg Media.com Inc. into its own. The Iceberg team will be moving into Standard’s offices within two weeks, he notes. The $1.3-million takeover was announced last May (CNM, May 31/02). Telus chooses iMagicTV for broadband video servicesTelus Corp. joins several other major incumbent telephony providers in Canada in choosing Saint John NB-based iMagicTV Inc.’s platform to deliver television services via DSL broadband. No details for the contract were disclosed. Canadian TLD grows as .com domain registrations fallThe Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) notes that the total number of .ca registrations has grown to 300,000, a large increase from the 60,000 registered at December 2000. During the first eight months of 2002, the number of .ca registrations grew by 11%, from 278,943 to 309,238, while the number of .com domain names registered in Canada fell to 749,621 from 906,656. "Canadians know that .ca means Canada. Businesses and individuals are recognizing the value of using Canada’s online brnad," says CIRA chair Maureen Cubberley in a media release. Two options on table to better understand cyber-crimeThe Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics has identified two options for collecting data on cyber-crime from police services in Canada. One is to conduct a special study to collect detailed information from police agencies that currently collect cyber-crime statistics. The second is to modify a common crime stats survey to include computer-related crimes. It’s hoped either option will help police develop a uniform definition of cyber-crime. "ollecting cyber-crime statistics at a national level is important in order to assess the impact that this type of crime has on society. Governments and the police community rely on this information to help them enforce policies and procedures as well as allocating resources...," reads a new report, Cyber-Crime, available from Statistics Canada and containing the recommendations.

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | December 20, 2002

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