In the opening sentence of their article CRTC aims to carve out national identity online, the Globe and Mail’s Grant Robertson and Matt Hartley suggest that the CRTC is working out the details for an arts fund to support the production of Canadian content for the Internet using money levied from Canadian ISPs.
Amid fears that Canada’s culture is being drowned in a sea of online video from around the world, federal regulators are looking at setting up a $100-million fund to support homegrown programming on the Internet.
If I have my facts straight, that assertion is incorrect. ACTRA proposed such a fund in their written submission and presentation to the CRTC’s hearing on Canadian broadcasting in new media which began yesterday.
I wouldn’t consider reading a report, listening to a few people speak and then engaging in a debate with them over their thoughts to be “looking at setting up a $100-million fund” any more than hearing Alain Pineau say “broadcasting is broadcasting no matter which platform you use” means the CRTC is planning on making every Canadian who produces content on the web get a broadcast license.
Day two of the CRTC hearings begin at 9amET today. You can watch a live video stream on cpac.ca.
