Comment: different regulation, not deregulation, in 2008

In 2008 I'd like to see regulatory and legislative amendments that modernize the Canadian broadcasting system and enrich the roles of independent broadcasters and producers. As we can see, scarcity of bandwidth is back with a vengeance due to phenomena like peer-to peer, HDTV, and the commercial priorities of the dominant ISPs - most of which are also BDUs in this country. Re-regulation, or "different" regulation - not de-regulation - is required. When things in civic life get complicated it's no time to see public policy throw in the towel. When societies (in particular media) get more complex is exactly when society needs more public debate, disclosure, and democratic direction. If we want cleaner air and water, we have to adopt more stringent environmental regulations. If we want less inequality among Canadians, we have to have more progressive taxation and better public intervention in areas like healthcare and education. Moreover, if China can invoke totalitarian will over Cisco, Yahoo, Google and Microsoft to censor Chinese bloggers and journalists - maybe Canada can invoke democratic political will to open the system up and assure lasting diversity. That is at least what FCC Chair Kevin Martin has been trying to do in the US (Mind you he's being lobbied to distraction but the cable industry there.) But in sum, if social and cultural ills are rooted in market dominance and over-reaching commercial pressure, your only political recourse is to change the rules. Or surrender by face saving increments. And certainly that is not the Ottawa back story.One way to contribute to Canadian diversity is to create a basic "greenspace" foundation tier of public service and independent Canadian broadcasters. Those broadcasters would have to meet certain threshold requirements, e.g. be Canadian owned, contribute 50% of revenues to Canadian Program Expenditure, and have an overall Cancon level of at least 65%. As sheer speculation, it might also be interesting to see the CRTC explore placing the US networks on a separate tier, introduce non-simultaneous substitution for commercial broadcasters, and reduce the cost of basic BDU access to all Canadians as a result: thus adding more real choice. Perhaps the revenues generated from a separate US tier could not only amplify current CTF funding, but also resource the ongoing vitality of the new "greenspace" basic tier, which would include the CBC and provincial educational broadcasters. Sadly, there is little evident realization in Ottawa yet that intelligent regulation can help markets (just think of traffic lights helping the flow of people and services - and the chaotic and murderous alternative!); and even less obvious appreciation that Canada is not a natural market on any terms - least of all in culture and media. Northrup Frye taught us that decades ago. So yes, content is king and the kingdom has gotten unimaginably vast. But to avoid the Canadian imagination being swallowed by the Web behemoth, or becoming a peripheral reflection of giants in Los Angles, Moscow or New Delhi - we need creative and wise public policy in 2008. -Bill Roberts, president and CEO, S-VOX

Comment: different regulation, not deregulation, in 2008

Broadcast | December 19, 2007

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