CNM Short Takes

Decima Reader Poll - September 2003Decima Publishing Inc. readers have spoken loud and clear about regulation in the sector. This fall, readers soundly rejected the thought of adding a content surcharge to be paid by ISPs. We asked: "New media producers are battling cuts to funding across the country. One solution being floated is to add a ‘Canadian content’ surcharge to consumers' Internet service bills to fund Canadian online content. Should the federal government force Internet service providers to contribute to the creation of Canadian multimedia content?" Decima Reader Poll - October 2003Spam, unsolicited commercial email that many say is threatening to overwhelm the networks on which the Internet works, is a hot topic currently. As governments struggle with potential regulation, we asked readers of Decima Publishing Inc.’s four industry newsletters what they think of possible anti-spam laws. In October, we asked: "How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: The federal government should institute a national Do Not Spam list that would forbid people and businesses from sending advertising and other marketing messages via email to people on the list. Would you say you …"Don’t forget to vote in our current online readers poll. We’re currently asking for your opinion on the hot topic of cellular phone and other antenna siting. Give us your opinion on the following question: "Cell phone, broadcast and other communications tower siting questions have heated up of late. Who should have the final say over whether a tower is allowed in a given location if interference and health issues are ruled out?" Vote at http://www.decima.com/publishing. Canadian Internet Project gets green light for spring 2004 The Canadian Internet Project (CIP), a comprehensive research study that will investigate Internet usage patterns and the resulting social, economic and cultural implications in Canada, has just been green lit to be in the field in spring of 2004 with its first survey (CNM, Oct. 16/03). Coordinated by the Canadian Media Research Consortium (CMRC) and affiliated with UCLA’s World Internet Project, this long-term study is the first to bring together a tripartite partnership of government, industry and academe to investigate the relationship between online technologies, cultural content and the attitudes and receptivity of the public to new forms of content. "We are elated we have been able to fulfill our original plan of ensuring broad representation across all sectors to make this study a very useful benchmark for many constituents, for many years to come," comments CIP’s project director, Charles Zamaria. The project is jointly funded by Industry Canada, Canadian Heritage, and Bell Canada. Major funding comes from the CMRC, created from a $3-million endowment from the CTV/BCE benefits package. The CMRC is an academic alliance that includes York University, the University of British Columbia, Ryerson University and Laval. In addition, along with Zamaria, André Caron from the University of Montreal will be involved in coordinating the research, particularly the francophone components of the survey. The investigation will consider the overall impact of the Internet on individual behaviour and cultural changes produced by innovative content and emerging online technologies. "We intend to examine how our lives are being transformed by the emergence of new digital content and distributuion channels. We feel that this information will better inform policy makers, cultural and social institutions, businesses and entrepreneurs. I can say for a certainty it will provide very valuable information for funding agencies such as the Bell (Broadcast and New Media Fund)," Zamaria indicates. nextMEDIA survey results show timidness on industry outlookAn industry survey of attendees to the recent nextMEDIA festival in Prince Edward Island has been released. Among the findings (weighted percentages): 56% ranked their level of optimism about the industry’s economic outlook at 3 on a scale of 5; 25% rated it 4; 61% rated at 4 or 5 their agreement that the success of chat rooms and other multi-user environments depends on anonymity; 55% rated at 1 or 2 the importance of short messaging service or third- generation wireless services in their business; 46% rated at 1 or 2 the importance of personal video recorders to their businesses; Gaming systems were rated in importance to attendees’ businesses with a 1 by 25%, 2 by 10%, 3 by 25% and 4 by 23%; 43% rated with a 3 their outlook for their businesses viability in the coming year. 27% rated it with a 4, and 13% rated it with a 5. AOL Canada launches new mid-speed Internet access serviceAOL Canada has launched a new service dubbed Netscape Online that offers faster-than-usual dial-up speeds as an alternative to DSL or cable Internet service. The product uses a standard 56 kbps modem, but can download static content at speeds approaching 256 kbps. It sells for $18.95 a month. One feature also being touted is new dial-up access from 52 cities and towns across the country. Canadian biographies posted by Cold North WindA new collection of biographies of historical Canadian figures has been put online by Ottawa-based Cold North Wind Inc. and the National Library and National Archives of Canada. Fourteen volumes of biographies covering the years 1000 to 1920 have been posted to http://www.biographi.ca/. A 15th volume, covering 1921 to 1930, will be printed and published in 2005, though a media release doesn’t indicate whether that, too, will be posted online. D-BOX files patent applicationsLongueuil QC-based D-BOX Technology Inc. has filed two patents in the U.S. for a new card that allows operators to control several motion simulators simultaneously. The card is expected to substantially reduce the manufacturing costs attached to its new generation of Odyssee motion simulators made for the video game and home enterainment markets, according to a media release. Delvinia trumpets 300% increase in advance poll turnoutDelvinia Interactive Inc. says turnout at advance polls in the Town of Markham during the Nov. 10 municipal elections in Ontario was increased by 300% as a result of its voter outreach program developed as part of the CANARIE Inc. Applied Research in Multimedia program (CNM, June 13/03). The outreach program included a broadband-enabled web site, posters, mail-outs and telephone initiatives (CNM, Oct. 10/03). Not part of the CANARIE program, but done concurrently, the city also introduced online voting for this year’s contest. Internet voting accounted for over 70% of advance poll votes. Delvinia has been able to survey over 5,000 residents about their experience of voting, either at the polls or online, and found that 93% of respondents would be "very likely" to vote online again and 99% said that an interactive web site will be helpful in future elections. The release did not indicate the absolute numbers of people voting, nor what turnout at the polls was. Canada’s world-beating web properties honouredCanadians have won a disproportionately high number of World Summit Awards. Winners are: Kutoka Interactive for its MIA series; ecentricarts inc. for its Art2Life site; Digital Frog International Inc. recognized for its ScienceMatrix product; and Abe Books tapped for its online used bookstore. The four represent 10% of the winners selected from a short list of 1,088 finalists. Still to come are the National Post Design Exchange Awards, now in their second year of honouring new media properties. A winner will be annunced Nov. 27 in Toronto from among CBC Radio 3, Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group Inc.’s DNA Condos web site designed by Frost, and IN_situ, which is an offshoot of the Canadian Film Centre. Digital Frog launches new online trial of ScienceMatrix productThough admittedly buggy, Digital Frog International Inc. has launched an online trial of its new ScienceMatrix product. Online now is the first module of the e-learning series, Cell Structure and Function. A media release notes that the version online now is missing some functions, and company officials say they will be fixing bugs and adding features "over the next little while." The e-learning application can be tested at http://www.sciencematrix.com/. Molson one of first to sign up for research studiesMolson is now working with the Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (IAB Canada) on a series of research studies along with its interactive agency ninedots. The research is intended to develop a body of knowledge and best practices regarding the effectiveness of various approaches to online advertising, specificially focusing on cross-media learning. The studies form part of the Canadian Media Optimization Study and building on the XMOS (Cross Media) work conducted in the United States. Also on board is GM and a financial services organization. IAB Canada is working with Dynamic Logic, Brandspark International and comScore Media Metrix on the project. C-36 dies, works set to enter public domainUnpublished works by authors such as Lucy Maud Montgomery, Frederick Phillip Grove and Stephen Leacock will likely enter into the public domain on Jan. 1, 2004 as Bill C-36 dies on the order paper, unpassed by the Senate before Parliament prorogued on November 12. C-36 would have extended the term of protection afforded to these and others, as well as merged the National Library of Canada and the National Archives of Canada (CNM, June 25/03). BMG, Sony merger to trigger foreign investment review?Sources say a proposed merger between international music giants BMG and Sony will likely trigger a foreign investment review as their Canadian subsidiaries join forces. Cultural industry mergers are usually accompanied by some sort of undertakings package, though recent examples have been hush-hush (CNM, Feb. 7/02).

CNM Short Takes

Broadcast | November 21, 2003

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