CNM Short Takes

ClarificationThe article "Little action seen on new media exemption order as expiration date nears" in the April 16 issue of Canadian NEW MEDIA may have unintentionally left an impression with some readers that the 1999 New Media Exemption Order would expire this year. Exemption orders do not expire, but CRTC policy is to review them every five years. A CRTC spokesperson tells CNM that there are currently no plans to review the order. In the absence of a review, the provisions of the exemption order will not cease to be in force. When the order reaches the five-year mark in December, even if there is no review, new media undertakings will continue to operate without regulation. We regret any confusion we may have caused. nextMEDIA is a go, says Achilles’ MontgomeryAchilles Partner LLC president Robert Montgomery tells Canadian NEW MEDIA that the nextMEDIA new media festival is set to go ahead again this year, despite the recent bankruptcy of the Banff Television Foundation (CNM, April 16/04). At press time, Montgomery says the foundation is working with former nextMEDIA producer Berni Wood to produce the event, which remains scheduled for October 20-23. Broadcasters buy into new media, Bell Fund helps: iLunchAn April 23 iLunch, organized by the New Media Business Alliance, heard that while the Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund has been a critical part of many new media producers’ success, broadcasters will still consider interactive content to boost web site traffic. One of the panelists, Barbara Bailie, director of online media at Astral Television Networks, told lunch attendees that while budgets are smaller than in the late 1990s, the company is still buying companion sites even without Bell funding. "It’s focused. It supports the shows, but it’s also an online destination. We’re always constrained by budgets, but I think the enthusiasm and the desire is there, and the budgets will follow later." She encouraged producers to bring modestly priced projects to her for consideration for the network’s Family channel web site. Retailers file private copying arguments in court processA coalition of retailers, including the Retail Council of Canada, has filed its memorandum of fact and law with the Federal Court of Appeal in the ongoing appeal of the Copyright Board of Canada’s December decision on private copying (CNM, Jan. 26/04). The document notes that each of the retailers’ objections to the decision are jurisdictional or legal in nature, namely that the private copying regime was implemented without proper authority from Parliament, that it is an unconstitutional tax, that the system imposes liability on manufacturers and importers who are "innocent third parties", that the zero-rating scheme is illegal, and that the board was in error to establish a levy on non-removable memory permanently embedded in a digital audio recorder. The coalition says in the court document that it represents the six largest retailers in Canada, who sell an estimated 75% of the blank audio recording media sold in Canada. Royal Assent granted to Library and Archives billBill C-8 received Royal Assent on April 23. The legislation merges the National Library of Canada and National Archives of Canada into a single entity. It engendered controversy last year when provisions were left in the bill to extend the term of copyright protection for the works of some dead authors, but those terms were struck from the bill by a committee of the Senate (CNM Update, March 11/04). The appointment of a new head for the combined institutions, and a date for coming-into-force, have yet to be announced. Access Copyright files for 2005-2009 tariffs on photocopyingAccess Copyright, the collective responsible for collecting royalties on photocopied material, filed on March 31 its proposed royalties for reprographic reproduction for the years 2005-2009 with the Copyright Board of Canada. Objections to the tariff are due no later than June 23. B.C. games study to be launched May 6New Media BC will present the results of its study of the province’s games industry on May 6 at the premises of Radical Entertainment. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., with a presentation at 4:30. Pre-registration for the event is required. CPCC asks that private copying appeals be grouped togetherThe Canadian Private Copying Collective has asked the Federal Court of Appeal to group three appeals of the private copying levy decision into a single group, as well as requested an expedited process. "Three groups have appealed the Copyright Board ’s decision on the ’s 2003-2004 tariff. While we have widely disparate points of view, we think it would serve the public interest for the court to hear the appeals together and on an expedited basis," said CPCC chair Claudette Fortier in a media release. Aboriginal artists contemplate cyberspace resourcesNative Canadians are set to gather on May 1 and 2 via Internet hookups from galleries and other centres to discuss the meaning of virtual space. A combination chat room, virtual gallery and library, CyberPowWow 04 - Unnatural Resources will link up sites in Banff, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and Charlottetown to participate in online discussion from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mountain time. The days will feature works by invited artists including Rosalie Favell, Greg Hill, Joseph Tekaroniake Lazare, Ryan Johnston and Archer Pechawis. The artists will discuss "claims on territory in cyberspace, and the natural resources available in a virtual world." More information is available athttp://www.cyberpowwow.net. OMDC offers virtual location scouting from new web siteThe Ontario Media Development Corp. has launched a new locations database online dubbed Locations Ontario. The site will allow producers to search over 3,700 locations. A media release describes the site as "the culmination of an initiative that began nearly a decade ago, and houses not only photos of potential filming locations across Ontario, but a wealth of information on contacts, filming availability, restrictions and architectural style." Tours of the database are available at http://locations.omdc.on.ca, and those interested in becoming registered users may call Dana Kearns, Scott McKinnon or Hilary Palmer at (416) 314-6858 to get further information. Coalition asks Parliament to recognize users rightsA loose coalition of musicians, software developers, photographers and others that has coalesced around the www.digital-copyright.ca web discussion board has launched a petition to ask Parliament to respect public rights in copyrighted materials as it contemplates reforms intended to provide greater protection to copyright holders in the digital age. The group hopes to gather 100,000 signatures over two months to present to Parliament, and timed the launch to coincide with World Intellectual Property Day, April 23. Signature gathering is being coordinated online at www.digital-copyright.ca/petition.shtml. The petition reads, "your petitioners call upon Parliament to ensure generally that users are recognised as interested parties and are meaningfully consulted about proposed changes to the Copyright Act and to ensure in particular that any changes at least preserve all existing users’ rights, including the right to use copyrighted materials under Fair Dealing and the right to make private copies of audio recordings. We further call upon Parliament not to extend the term of copyright; and to recognise the right of citizens to personally control their own communication devices." A media release accompanying quotes users rights advocate Russell McOrmond as saying, "The recording industry successfully lobbied for the levy on blank media which is what made unauthorized music downloading for personal use legal. These same people, along with big media and monopolistic software companies are also pushing for quick ratification of the copyright treaties, parts of which seeks to take away our ownership and control of communications tools. It has always been the case that the same tools used by creators have been able to be abused by infringers. This is true whether the tool is a VCR, home computer, the Internet, or a guitar or one’s own vocal chords. Taking control away from creative Canadians and their audiences is not a valid solution to any perceived problems." Etraffic wins Chamber awardEtraffic Solutions Inc. has won the Business Excellence award from the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.

CNM Short Takes

News | 04/30/2004 4:00 am EDT

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