Archive for March, 2008

CBC To Release Program DRM-Free Via BitTorrent

Sources indicate that the CBC is set to become the first major North American broadcaster to freely release one of its programs without DRM using BitTorrent.  This Sunday, CBC will air Canada Next Great Prime Minister.  The following day, it plans to freely release a high-resolution version via peer-to-peer networks […]

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March 18, 2008 40 comments News

Statscan Reports Canadian Music Industry Maintains Profitability

Statscan reports this morning that Canada's sound recording and music publishing industries maintained their profitability in 2006, though at a declining rate.  Revenues declined for the sound recording industry, yet the industry remained profitable at 9.5 percent (down from 13.1 percent in 2005).  The report importantly notes that Canadian firms […]

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March 18, 2008 Comments are Disabled News

Responding to the IIPA’s “Inaccuracies and Hyperbole”

Last month, the IIPA, a lobby group representing a handful entertainment industries, released its annual submission to the United States Trade Representative criticizing the copyright laws of dozens of countries around the world.  That submission will likely play an influential role in next month's USTR Special 301 Report.  As usual, Canada was on their list, leading to the usual press coverage claiming that Canada is a laggard on copyright reform.  While Canadian officials have criticized the USTR Special 301 report, to my knowledge the government has never made a formal submission defending Canadian policies.

This year, the USTR received 24 submissions, including comments from three countries – Israel, Poland, and Turkey (the USTR has posted the non-governmental submissions for the first time this year).  The Israeli submission has been posted online and provides a great model for how countries should be defending their national interests.  The submission, which characterizes the IIPA submission as containing the "usual inaccuracies and hyperbole," includes a great defense of Israeli copyright policy.  For example, on the issue of anti-circumvention legislation it notes:

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March 17, 2008 3 comments News

ISPs and P2P

The news is full of ISPs being asked/required to play a larger role in P2P – Japan's ISPs adopt a three strikes and you're out approach to subscribers engaged in file sharing, Sweden rejects that approach in favour of one that requires ISPs to disclose subscriber information to rights holders, […]

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March 17, 2008 2 comments News

Independent Film Alliance for Net Neutrality

In the wake of the MPAA's public position against net neutrality, Jon Healey notes that the Independent Film and Television Alliance has publicly criticized that position and favours a net neutral approach.

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March 17, 2008 Comments are Disabled News