News

Canadian Broadcasters Say C-32 Needed to Save Local Radio

Last year, Canadian broadcasters launched a major public campaign to “Save Local TV”, which was their effort to rally support for new fees for retransmission of local television signals. The Federal Court of Appeal ruled this week that the CRTC has the legal power to authorize networks to negotiate to be paid for carrying stations, though the recent convergence in the marketplace may render the entire issue moot.

Interestingly, Canadian radio broadcasters are now using the same strategy as part of their support for Bill C-32. A new campaign – isupportmylocalradio.ca – has been launched complete with radio ads and a webpage. The goal of the campaign is to express support for Bill C-32, particularly the reforms that will save radio broadcasters tens of millions of dollars. The claims mirror those in the fee-for-carriage campaign – “Local radio in Canada may be threatened if Bill C-32 is not passed as introduced by the Government. This much needed Bill may fail because the Liberal Party wants an amendment that would have local radio stations send money to big recording companies outside Canada.” The broadcasters appear before the C-32 committee on Thursday.

22 Comments

  1. Bill MacEachern says:

    Flip it around…
    “Consumer rights in Canada may be threatened if Bill C-32 is passed as introduced by the Government.”

    There, it’s a stalemate.


  2. @Bill: “There, it’s a stalemate.”

    There’s a solution. Abolish copyright. Radio broadcasters won’t have to pay to foreign companies and consumers will have all their rights.

    Nap. (this was in anticipation of Degen’s post 😉

  3. CndCitizen says:

    Confused????
    What amendment and why would radio broadcasters care. I hope someone sets them straight about the negative impact of c32 will have on everyone.

  4. copywriter says:

    The broadcasters are actually supporting one aspect of C-32 …the elimination of the Broadcast Mechanical Royalty … a source of income for Canadian Artists for a decade… the broadcasters claims that the money goes into the pockets of “Big recording companies outside of Canada” is completely false since up until late 09 there was no such tariff being paid to Master owners. This has been a steady stream of income to artists on Indie & major labels alike.

  5. More Canadian Broadcaster FUD
    I do not understand how the Canadian Broadcasters Association is allowed to make knowingly false statements.

    It violates their own Code of Conduct rules and is probably close to illegal.

    Why can’t we call bullshit on these Fox News style campaigns of false information?

  6. John Smith says:

    Are the Radio Brodcasters confused?
    The Broadcasters are saying pas the bill as it stands because it is fair as long as it does not have the Liberal amendment, that they do not provide. Is it fair or is it not fair? They say they already pay record labels and that is fair but that the Liberal amendment would force them to pay record labels outside Canada and that would not be fair. Doesn’t most music come from outside Canada? Is it not fair to pay ALL labels for their music?


  7. Translation:

    Fair = we make more money
    Unfair= we make less money

  8. Seems fair. I mean why should a commercial entity that uses music to derive it’s profits pay a levy to format-shift digital tracks? It’s not like the rest of the general Canadian public pays a levy on media that may or may not be used for music for personal non-profit use and…..oh…never mind.

    I do think it would be better, however, if small tariffs like this one (7¢ per song) were set aside solely for songwriters and composers, and NOT including publishers.

  9. Maureen Thompson says:

    Canadian Citizen
    I support Bill C-32

  10. Courtney Campbell says:

    Canadian Citizen
    keep Canadian dollars in Canada C-32. Why do we keep getting robbed anyway? Its really killing me.

  11. Bill Shaw says:

    Canadian citizen
    Canadian dollars should stay in Canada-support c32

  12. WTF does ‘amendment that would have local radio stations send money to big recording companies outside Canada’ mean?
    Hi, just so that I can make an informed decision, I’ve been trying to determine what the f*ck ‘amendment that would have local radio stations send money to big recording companies outside Canada’ exactly means. Every article i can find ends on that same sentence…no further clarification follows, no explanation as to just what money, would local recording stations have to send, to who and (here’s the biggie), why??? This leads me to suspect this is yet another corporate fascist low-blow snow-job to separate me from yet even more of my hard-earned money. Perhaps you can inform me. You seem to claim some sort of expertise. Please, enlighten me. Much thanks.

    P.S. So far to me, the obvious answer to the problem is to stop gouging consumers for buying entertainment.

  13. Jeremy Mcfadyen says:

    I support Bill C 32
    I think record companys should support local radio because they have been selling music for a long time

  14. Mr. Donald B. W. Clark says:

    Electrician
    I support Canadian Radio broadcasters and Bill C32 and want it passed, otherwise we will lose Canadian programming and our Canadian identity to the United States!

  15. Retired
    I support my local radio station. Right I am listening to an Irish music program with very good local talent along with Cds of recording stars.

  16. Broadcaster’s FUD
    You people here supporting Canadian Broadcasters are a bunch of maroons!

    The BIGGEST reason the Canadian Broadcasters support Bill C-32 is because it eliminates the Broadcast Mechanical Royalty which has been a source of income for Canadian Artists for a decade.

    The broadcasters FALSE claims that the money goes into the pockets of “Big Recording companies outside of Canada” since up until late 09 there was no such tariff being paid to Master owners. This has been a steady stream of income to artists on Indie and major labels alike.

    Oh and since we’re on the topic of putting money in Canadian artists pockets. It’s interesting to note that in 2009 the Canadian Broadcasters claimed to have paid Canadian music artists $51 millions dollars on $1.5 BILLION in revenue.

    That’s 3.4% of their revenue with artists that contribute virtually 100% to their programming!

    Save Local Radio is nothing but pure Canadian Broadcaster bullshit! Please if you’re going to speak in support of this propaganda at least get the facts right!

  17. Betty Bruce says:

    retired
    I am not surprised at all,after all this is big government
    need I say more.

  18. mr
    I don’t trust broadcasters as a group.one of the main resons, is they allow their adertisers ,to use too false claims to lure customers. I hope this doesn’t sound petty,but even their insistence ,in refering to programs as EXCLUSIVE to them ( including 60 munites) If they try to pull the wool over listeners,with something so innocuos ,why should we trust them!

  19. non beliver
    Broadcasters, as a group I wouldn’t trust, as far as I can throw themm. Listen to the outrageous claims,they allow their advertisers to make. Sometimes bordering on fradulent,but they don’t have any relation with truth, when it comes to advertisers. Even ,some of the claims,some of these station claim, that a particular program is heard “exclusively” on the station when clearly, that is not true.
    Another reason, I have no sympathy is the cruel way they fire employees. They just “try out people and discard them like yesterday’s garbage.

  20. reg wetherill says:

    Canadian listener
    IT is A MUST THAT LOCAL ROADIO CONTINUES SPECAILLY IN THE NORTH!!!!

  21. just
    I don’t trust broadcasters as a group.one of the main resons, is they allow their adertisers ,to use too false claims to lure customers. I hope this doesn’t sound petty,but even their insistence.http://www.okaybridal.com

  22. Global Linkz Radio Home
    http://www.globallinkzradio.com/

    Global Linkz Radio operate 24/7 showcasing a variety of music genres to reflect the diversity of our global community. Our on air presenters are located in various countries and within the United States. Our team aims to enrich the lives of our multicultural audience through music and information. We are committed to creating a positive impact on our listeners in an appealing and professional manner to encourage new insights to life, people, and relationships in a changing world.