Latest news with #OnlineStreamingAct
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
CBC urges stricter CanCon rules for homegrown programming, foreign partners
CBC is urging Canada's regulator to tighten restrictions around what constitutes Canadian screen content, pushing back against foreign streamers seeking looser rules. The public broadcaster says at least 60 per cent of key creative positions should be filled by Canadians, including the top two leads and director, writer and showrunner. Under current rules, productions must earn at least six out of 10 points by filling key creative roles with Canadians — with only one Canadian required as director or writer, and one as a lead actor. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW CBC executives including the head of English services appeared at a CRTC hearing Monday to stress the need for strong Canadian creative and financial control, especially when collaborating with foreign partners. They also say Canadians should own the copyright to Canadian productions. 'We believe that relaxing these rules is a slippery slope that does not serve the interests of the Canadian broadcasting system,' Barbara Williams, CBC's executive vice-president of English services, told the hearing. 'The best way to support the viability and sustainability of our system is a definition that requires Canadian creative control over and the retention of meaningful economic benefits derived from television productions by Canadians.' The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is in the midst of a two-week hearing with key industry players to update the Online Streaming Act, including what obligations should be imposed on foreign streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video. '(Foreign streamers) have benefited enormously from being here in this country and we look for opportunities through the system to be sure that they pay back and that they contribute and be a partner in a meaningful way,' Williams said. 'And that's not about giving away some of our Canadian control — creative, financial or otherwise. It's about maintaining and holding on to what we have and finding ways for them to be a meaningful participant.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW CBC series 'North of North,' co-produced with APTN and Netflix, was repeatedly cited as a model of successful collaboration. CBC said the series, developed over two years before Netflix joined, proves that strong Canadian-led projects can attract global partners without giving up intellectual property rights and key creative roles. The broadcaster's execs said the show has performed well domestically and abroad. 'Netflix was an important and critical piece of the financing, but we didn't need to compromise being Canadian-owned in every way, shape and form in order to have them be a partner,' said Lisa Clarkson, CBC's executive director of business and rights. CRTC commissioners asked whether looser IP-sharing rules could lead to more collaborations like 'North of North.' Williams responded firmly: 'The simple answer is no.' Rather than relaxing IP ownership to lure foreign involvement, she argued, the better path is to support Canadian creators to develop world-class ideas that attract global partners. Clarkson added that CBC assumes significant risk and cost in early-stage development of programs, long before foreign investors get involved. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW She argued foreign partners receive creative benefits including 'a fully polished script. They don't have to take the risk for that.' Clarkson noted that 'North of North' is just one of 38 drama co-productions the public broadcaster has undertaken with foreign financing partners in the past five years, all while maintaining full Canadian ownership. 'To take away ownership from the Canadian producer is... unwise and unnecessary,' Clarkson said, adding that foreign partners already benefit from incentives like tax credits and public funding. 'Instead of paying 100 per cent, they're often paying 20 to 50 per cent. Those are massive inducements already.' Last week, a group representing major streaming companies told the CRTC that digital platforms shouldn't be bound by the same Canadian content obligations as traditional broadcasters. Speaking at a hearing, the Motion Picture Association-Canada — which represents streamers like Netflix, Disney, Amazon and Paramount — urged the regulator to take a more flexible approach to updating the definition of Canadian content. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Asked by the CRTC to respond to that request, Williams said both the public broadcaster and the regulator must consider their shared responsibility in supporting the domestic creative industry. 'Here in Canada, in this moment in particular, what we are really driven by is the need to support a creative community that can feel it has the opportunity to put its best foot forward and build great content that then they can exploit, that they can own, that they can build a business around,' said Williams on Monday. 'But what we're reluctant to accept is that somehow we need a foreign entity to help us do that. We're very, very capable of doing this on our own and making great projects.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
CBC urges stricter CanCon rules for homegrown programming, foreign partners
CBC is urging Canada's regulator to tighten restrictions around what constitutes Canadian screen content. The public broadcaster says at least 60 per cent of key creative positions should be filled by Canadians, including the top two leads and director, writer and showrunner. Under current rules, productions must earn at least six out of 10 points by filling key creative roles with Canadians — with only one Canadian required as director or writer, and one as a lead actor. CBC executives including the head of English services appeared at a CRTC hearing this morning to stress the need for strong Canadian creative control, especially when collaborating with foreign partners. They also say Canadians should own the copyright to Canadian productions. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is in the midst of a two-week hearing with key industry players to update the Online Streaming Act, including what obligations should be imposed on foreign streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video. CBC series 'North of North,' co-produced with APTN and Netflix, was repeatedly cited as a model of successful collaboration. CBC said the series, developed over two years before Netflix joined, proves that strong Canadian-led projects can attract global partners without giving up intellectual property rights and key creative roles. '(Foreign streamers) have benefited enormously from being here in this country and we look for opportunities through the system to be sure that they pay back and that they contribute and be a partner in a meaningful way,' Barbara Williams, CBC's executive vice-president of English services, told the hearing Monday. 'And that's not about giving away some of our Canadian control — creative, financial or otherwise. It's about maintaining and holding on to what we have and finding ways for them to be a meaningful participant.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
CBC urges stricter CanCon rules for homegrown programming, foreign partners
CBC is urging Canada's regulator to tighten restrictions around what constitutes Canadian screen content. The public broadcaster says at least 60 per cent of key creative positions should be filled by Canadians, including the top two leads and director, writer and showrunner. Under current rules, productions must earn at least six out of 10 points by filling key creative roles with Canadians — with only one Canadian required as director or writer, and one as a lead actor. CBC executives including the head of English services appeared at a CRTC hearing this morning to stress the need for strong Canadian creative control, especially when collaborating with foreign partners. They also say Canadians should own the copyright to Canadian productions. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is in the midst of a two-week hearing with key industry players to update the Online Streaming Act, including what obligations should be imposed on foreign streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video. CBC series 'North of North,' co-produced with APTN and Netflix, was repeatedly cited as a model of successful collaboration. CBC said the series, developed over two years before Netflix joined, proves that strong Canadian-led projects can attract global partners without giving up intellectual property rights and key creative roles. '(Foreign streamers) have benefited enormously from being here in this country and we look for opportunities through the system to be sure that they pay back and that they contribute and be a partner in a meaningful way,' Barbara Williams, CBC's executive vice-president of English services, told the hearing Monday. 'And that's not about giving away some of our Canadian control — creative, financial or otherwise. It's about maintaining and holding on to what we have and finding ways for them to be a meaningful participant.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025.
Epoch Times
24-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
CRTC Kicks Off CanCon Hearing as Big Streamers Cancel Appearances
The CRTC's hearing on defining Canadian content began Tuesday with Netflix, Paramount and Apple dropping off the schedule at the last minute. MPA-Canada, which represents a number of the big streaming companies, rescheduled its appearance for the end of the day Friday. The federal broadcast regulator's two-week hearing will consider a new definition of Canadian content. It's part of the CRTC's implementation of the Online Streaming Act, which updated broadcasting laws to capture online platforms. A number of large global streaming services are fighting in court an earlier directive the CRTC made under the act requiring them to contribute money to Canada's broadcast sector. In written submissions in January, groups representing U.S. businesses and big tech companies warned the CRTC that its efforts to modernize Canadian content rules could worsen trade relations with the United States. Related Stories 5/12/2025 3/3/2025
Toronto Sun
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
JAY GOLDBERG: Trudeau's censorship czar retakes the helm
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. Photo by PATRICK DOYLE / THE CANADIAN PRESS Prime Minister Mark Carney should repeal the Justin Trudeau government's dangerous censorship law before it comes into full force. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Sadly, with Steven Guilbeault appointed as the man responsible for overseeing the Canadian identity ministry, Carney appears prepared to double down on the censorship drive of the Trudeau years instead. Why the pessimism? Guilbeault is the author of the Trudeau government's censorship law, otherwise known as the Online Streaming Act. Most Canadians remember Guilbeault for his tour of duty as Minister of the Environment, when he militantly pushed annual carbon tax hikes down Canadian taxpayers' throats. But Guilbeault first earned his chops as minister of Canadian Heritage from 2019 to 2021, when he authored the Online Streaming Act. Guilbeault left the heritage portfolio before the bill was passed into law. But now Guilbeault is back in the same role, responsible for starting to implement the very law he authored — a law that is all about government control. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Online Streaming Act gives the federal government broad powers to control major elements of the internet. It forces online streaming providers, like Amazon Prime and Netflix, to follow Canadian content rules formerly reserved for broadcasters, meaning online streaming services will be required to push a minimum amount of Canadian content to viewers or risk losing their ability to operate in Canada. What kind of government control will this look like? Testifying before a Senate committee back in 2022, former Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) chief Ian Scott warned that this would likely entail forcing streaming providers to manipulate their algorithms to push Canadian content on unsuspecting viewers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Guilbeault is quite literally trying to manipulate what Canadians can see online. Having the government manipulate what Canadians can or cannot see online is an affront to democracy. The government should never be in a position to help dictate the content Canadians see. That's the kind of approach taken by totalitarian regimes. It's not an approach that should be taken by a liberal democracy. Consumers should be free to stream whatever content they want, free from government interference. Pierre Trudeau, as prime minister, once said it was important for the government to stay out of the bedrooms of the nation. Guilbeault wants there to be an exception when folks click on Netflix. On top of all of this, the Online Streaming Act is costing streamers big time and threatens to drive providers out of the marketplace. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Streamers of a certain size are forced, under the law, to provide 5% of their streaming revenue to the government, with that money then sent to specific local media funds. These extra costs will do one of two things: They will drive streamers out of the Canadian marketplace altogether or, at a minimum, they will drive up streaming costs for Canadians. There are already streaming providers, like Hulu, that deliberately are not in the Canadian market, likely because of pre-existing overregulation. This new law could drive things from bad to worse. There may be streaming providers that decide their Canadian profits simply aren't worth having to manipulate their algorithms, produce more Canadian content, and pay what amounts to a tax to fill the coffers of government media funds. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canadians shouldn't be shocked if a streaming provider or two chooses to exit the Canadian marketplace rather than comply with all of the punitive elements of the Online Streaming Act once it fully comes into force. A lack of competition in the streaming space is precisely what Canadian consumers don't need. But it's what may very well happen thanks to Ottawa's zest for government control. If Carney is smart, he'll ignore Guilbeault's penchant for government control and seriously re-examine this damaging law that was passed during the final years of the Trudeau regime. Carney has tacked to the centre on some issues and hasn't been afraid to abandon unpopular Trudeau-era policies like the consumer carbon tax and the capital gains tax hike. Carney should do so again when it comes to the Online Streaming Act. He should look to repeal the legislation and declare that the Carney government has no interest in controlling what Canadians can see online. Jay Goldberg is the Canadian affairs manager at the Consumer Choice Center Tennis World Sunshine Girls Sports Basketball
