Hands Off!

It’s time for some de-regulation in Canada’s broadcasting industry. The latest suggestion is to impose more regulation, this time on the so-called new media.

This Commentary, based on a submission to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), makes the case for rethinking the way Canada regulates broadcasting, and the specific case to back off from restricting the new media.

Hands Off! Why government-free new media works cuts through the bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo and addresses the big issue of whether we should increase government control over broadcasting content.

Late in 2008, the CRTC issued a notice inviting consultation on Canadian broadcasting in new media. AIMS’ submission, prepared by Director of Research Ian Munro, makes clear that by focusing too much on the bureaucratic jargon in the notice of consultation, we’re in danger of missing the opportunity to truly embrace the potential offered by new media.

Munro writes, ” We do not see how Canadian consumers benefit from state-imposed restrictions on the types of broadcasting content that they may access and therefore we recommend that the process of dismantling the CanCon framework begin. This would include rewriting the objectives of the Broadcasting Act so that our current legislation reflects the realities of 2008, rather than 1958 or 1978.”

To read the complete Commentary, click here.