Cultural groups commission poll showing opposition to foreign ownership

A new national poll commissioned by cultural groups shows more than half per cent of respondents said control of Canada’s communications sectors should remain in Canadian hands. The Harris/Decima telephone survey, conducted March 31 to April 12 2010, was commissioned by Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA), the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), and the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. The survey said “a clear majority” of respondents said they oppose allowing foreign ownership in the “telephone industry” (55 per cent), and the cable (54 per cent) and broadcasting (57 per cent) sectors. The poll found that 81 per cent of respondents agree (and 50 per cent strongly agree) that it is important that the government maintain and build a culture and identity distinct from the United States. Pressure groups have been lobbying hard on the foreign ownership question. The Conservative government said in this year’s speech from the throne that it intends to open up Canada’s telecom sector to foreign investment. Industry Canada will be announcing consultations on the issue, which is also now before the House industry committee. "The Harper government cannot gut foreign ownership laws for telecom companies without their direct competitors in the cable industry demanding equal treatment. Like cascading dominos, the broadcasters will follow suit and soon, several generations of hard work to maintain our cultural sovereignty through Canadian ownership and control of broadcasting will go down the drain," Ian Morrison, a spokesman for the watchdog group friends of Canadian Broadcasting, said in a release. In an apparent attempt to warn the government that liberalizing the foreign ownership restrictions could have political ramifications, the release said 64 per cent of Canadians are more likely to vote for candidates who oppose foreign control of Canadian media, up slightly from questions posed in November 2007. The survey also said 48 per cent of respondents expressed concern that Canadian content would decrease under foreign media ownership. Harris/Decima polled 2,019 Canadians between March 31 and April 12. The results are considered accurate within a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Cultural groups commission poll showing opposition to foreign ownership

Brief | April 20, 2010

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Cultural groups commission poll showing opposition to foreign ownership

Brief | April 20, 2010

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Quebecor to operate as MVNO on Bell lines as of mid-September

CRTC grants Ottawa man extended deadline to comment on NG911 rollout

Telus joins U.S.-led AI safety consortium

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us