Dan Gillmor provides a terrific review of the current state of citizen journalism (hat tip: Mark Hamilton).
Latest Posts
Diversity of Voices
My weekly Law Bytes column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) focuses on the CRTC's upcoming diversity of voices proceeding. The column notes that the initiative should be seen as part of the larger new media challenge, which CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein has described as "the defining challenge of our time in broadcasting. There is no more important matter facing the Commission, nor does any other matter have such long-term consequences."
The CRTC has launched the New Media Project initiative will analyze whether new media should be regulated and assess its impact on the creation and distribution of Canadian content. The initiative will also consider critical access issues including network neutrality (described by von Finckenstein as "Internet traffic prioritization") and whether access to high-speed broadband networks should be elevated to a core policy objective. A final project report is not expected until March 2009, however, the CRTC has a second initiative that will cover some of the same terrain much sooner – the Diversity of Voices proceeding.
The Diversity of Voices proceeding comes in response to the growing consolidation of Canadian media and seeks commentary on whether the changing corporate landscape has had a negative impact on the diversity of perspectives within the Canadian broadcasting system. The CRTC’s interest in the issue arises directly from the Broadcasting Act, which includes a statutory objective that Canadian broadcasting "provide a reasonable opportunity for the public to be exposed to the expression of differing views on matters of public concern."
The need for an open consultation on media diversity is long overdue.
CBC’s Exposure
CBC has launched an interesting new program that combines online and offline. Exposure encourages people to post their own videos (I did so for Putting Piracy in Perspective) and it plans to air some of the videos on the main network starting later this month.
WIPO Concerned About UDRP Provider
Webnames Domain Name News points to a recent letter from WIPO to ICANN, expressing concern about a proposed new dispute resolution provider that proposes to offer an appeals process.
Putting Canadian “Piracy” in Perspective – The Sources
Several people have written in response to the release of Putting Canadian "Piracy" in Perspective to ask for the data to support the claims made in the short film. I admittedly should have provided that from the start, but, better late than never, here are links to the various source documents:
The film opens by referring to movie piracy legislation and two government committee reports (INDU and SECU). It then follows with quotes from Graham Henderson of CRIA, U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins, and the U.S. Trade Representative. The film lists a series of copyright reform demands, drawn from the CACN and other copyright groups calling for copyright reform.
The response begins by noting that Canada currently meets its international copyright obligations. The lengthy list of other countries facing U.S. criticism on intellectual property is taken from the 2007 USTR Special 301 Report, while the claim on compliance with WIPO ratification, term extension, and anti-camcording law was based on research published this spring.
Recent Posts
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 200: Colin Bennett on the EU’s Surprising Adequacy Finding on Canadian Privacy Law 
Debating the Online Harms Act: Insights from Two Recent Panels on Bill C-63 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 199: Boris Bytensky on the Criminal Code Reforms in the Online Harms Act 
AI Spending is Not an AI Strategy: Why the Government’s Artificial Intelligence Plan Avoids the Hard Governance Questions 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 198: Richard Moon on the Return of the Section 13 Hate Speech Provision in the Online Harms Act
