A speech by M. Konrad von Finckenstein, head of CRTC (3)
ADISQ’s initial announcement on Internet regulation was vastly picked up last week by bloggers and the media. A facebook group, Against CRTC regulating the Internet, was created by Pierre Coté, with now 192 members. Sylvain Carle wrote an open letter to ADISQ, where he shows that the business model has changed for the music industry and that producers should focus instead on their core skills, which is finding, supporting and promoting talents. Michel Leblanc wrote that the market has changed, and that the industry should instead find new ways instead to sell music on the Internet.Michel Dumais gathered the posts, quotes and invited other bloggers to write about the situation.
Bruno Guglielminetti, journalist at Radio-Canada, reports that he tried to have an interview with Michel Arpin, VP of CRTC, but it seems he doesn’t speak to the press anymore. Instead, he found out a recent speech by CRTC’s head, Konrad Von Finckenstein. Here are some quotes:
With respect to content, we have chosen to focus on the streaming of commercial television over the Internet and wireless devices. We are concerned with professional programming only, not with the material generated by users.
With respect to issues of access, we will focus on such items as:
- Internet traffic prioritization, and
- the definition of what telecommunications basic service shall be.
…
In short, we have to learn what New Media entails, we need to assess the impact of New Media on broadcasting and telecommunications, and most importantly from our point of view, we need to assess their impact on the regulatory system. Will New Media undermine or bypass it, or be merely complementary?
These are all very big questions. We have to address them soon. I don’t know what the answers are.
But there is one thing I do know. For us at the CRTC, the guiding principle in our approach to New Media will be exactly the same one that we have followed in our approach to the traditional media: To regulate as effectively as we can to further the two primary goals of the Broadcasting Act –Canadian content and full access to the system for all Canadians.
I am especially shocked with the mention of “Internet traffic prioritization”, as I thought Net Neutrality was just a pure U.S. matter, but it seems the CRTC has their eye on favouring internet traffic from sources they think is appropriate.
Second, he apparently likes to think that CRTC’s regulatory system is automatically applied on new media. M.Konrad Von Finckenstein, all I have to say is that if one day you think of enforcing internet regulation, Iwe will undermine and bypass it.
The fact that he uses the word “broadcasting” when speaking about the Internet is revealing for me. Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and TV to a passive audience, by a few officially approved channels. Internet is not broadcasting. Compared to radio or TV, the Internet is a revolution on how we handle, manage and produce information. It’s an opportunity for anyone to freely create, write, podcast, produce their own videos … or become an entrepreneur.
I really hate when legacy institutions try anything to get back the power and control they used to have.
I had an opportunity to meet Justice Konrad von Finckenstein in person when the University of Ottawa Technology Law department invited him as part of their Torys LLP Technology Law Speaker Series. Coming from the Competition Bureau in the past, and being the federal court judge that gave the first judgment in the BMG vs Doe filesharing case, I am and continue to be hopefully optimistic.
Just because there is an interest to study certain areas doesn’t mean that the results of the study will go the way of the old-media/old-economy business associations and unions. It will be our job to ensure that we appear as witnesses, just as we flooded the system during the public submissions and consultation phase of copyright revision in 2001/2002.
These are all situations where we need to become more than just bloggers and armchair political activists, but become fully engaged in the political process.
Digital-copyright.ca exists, but we haven’t had many people from Quebec involved yet (and thus far few francophones from anywhere in Canada).
I love this quote the best: “We are concerned with professional programming only, not with the material generated by users.” As if the two are mutually exclusive, assuming you can even draw the line between them.
George,
While you and I know that the lines are blurred between so-called “user generated content” and so-called “professional content”, politicians and policy makers don’t yet understand this. Most are operating as if it is still the 1980’s, and we really need to let them know that things really have changed!
Have you met with your federal MP recently? If so, please BLOG about it — I’d love to know where it is linked so I can add an article on my own site attached to that federal electoral district.
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