New media industry set to enter regulatory arena

Digital media may be averse to regulation, but they still want a seat at the regulatory table when federal policy impacts their business. The Canadian Interactive Alliance (CIAIC) has chosen to do just that by announcing that it will participate in the CRTC's recently-announced new media consultation on behalf of Canada's digital media community. Having interactive content creators involved in regulatory proceedings has been a long time coming, but will it be maintained for other pressing issues? Lifecapture Interactive president and CEO Geoff Whitlock hopes so. Content creators, he says, should have a place at the regulatory table if policy is impacting their business. Case in point: the recent net neutrality debate heard by the commission. While Internet throttling is a major concern for content creators, it was the independent ISPs who took the fight to the CRTC when wholesaler Bell Canada was shaping Internet traffic. "If it's in the interest of content providers to get their content seen then absolutely there should be somebody speaking about net neutrality on their behalf," says Whitlock. "Someone should be leading the charge on that and working with ISPs, because it's really important that videogames and content and social networks and peer-to-peer access don't get restricted." Whitlock mentions the CIAIC, Interactive Ontario, New Media BC and the Interactive Advertising Bureau as associations that could be leading the regulatory charge on behalf of the digital content industry. However, he was unaware of the CIAIC's plan to assume a leadership role in the new media proceeding. "Through the Canadian Interactive Alliance, your provincial interactive or digital media association will submit comments by the July 11, 2008 deadline," writes the national new media association on its website. "We hope you'll agree this is a rare opportunity for our industry to help shape regulatory policy for digital media, and will participate along with us." While the CRTC's consultation notice focuses heavily on issues relating to the placement of broadcasting content on the Internet, the CIAIC suggest other issues to be considered and commented on by the interactive media community, including: "Is the current terminology anchoring the CRTC's definition of broadcasting - namely, ‘audio-visual programming' - still fundamentally correct and relative to Internet Protocol-based digital networks?" Involvement by the industry at the early, consultation phase is exactly what Whitlock was hoping to see. "Right now is the opportunity for us to submit paperwork about what should be discussed when we review digital media at the CRTC," he says. "And if we don't submit it now then we only get to submit on what has already been decided what should be discussed ." However, that Whitlock didn't know the CIAIC was soliciting comments from the industry to submit to the CRTC speaks to a lack of communication, and a lack of awareness within the interactive media community when it comes to regulatory issues. As Canadian New Media reported in January, Canada's new media industry was by and large unaware that the CRTC's task force on the Canadian Television Fund (CTF) had recommended $25 million from the fund be allocated to new media initiatives annually. As a result, no dedicated new media association or company intervened in the commission's proceedings on the CTF. "It would be really nice to have somebody there who could articulate at least some salient points about the industry and what's going on," said Michael Kasprow, VP and creative director at Trapeze Media, in January. "I have yet to hear an industry association that can eloquently illustrate what's going on in the industry, where opportunity lies, where innovation exists and that's partly because not a lot of people have sought the input of people like me or people who work in companies like mine." New Media BC president Kenton Low also made comments in January that could easily, and possibly more aptly, apply to the upcoming new media hearing. "Things like this have occurred in the broadcasting industry for years and new media, I wouldn't say it's uncharted territory, but I'm sure there has not been a lot of policy that has affected or impacted new media," he said. "But certainly there are groups like the CIAIC and provincial groups that are working to help shape public policy as it helps relate to new media companies. So, in time." It looks as though that time has arrived.

New media industry set to enter regulatory arena

Broadcast | May 26, 2008

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