The CRTC has entered a "Proceeding to Review the Diversity of Voices in the Canadian Broadcasting System". There are both good and bad potential outcomes to this. According to CBC.ca the CRTC will look at, amoung other things:
Needless to say, this could have profound and far reaching consequences for the CBC (not to mention Canada's other large media companies.)
The CBC article also indicates though that "Canada's federal broadcast regulator will be considering extending its jurisdiction over new media" - although this is not specifically mentioned in the CRTC's press release. Regulating Television and Radio (with a limited amount of airspace) is one thing, but regulating the internet is something else.
If this leads to such outcomes as net neutrality, well and good but if it is the CRTC's intention to, as they say, ensure "a diversity of voices" then they should take no further action on new media (or the internet). Ensuring a level playing field is fair, and a good role for government, but otherwise regulating, in any way the content available on the internet would run counter to the above stated goal.
The internet already has a great diversity of voices. It has no borders and should remain that way. The internet has become a kind of 'fair trade agreement' for art, ideas and information and unlike NAFTA, this one is working. Any attempt, beyond net neutrality, to regulate content on the internet should be taken as nothing less than censorship and the stifling of free thought.
Hopefully, no attempt at such censorship will be made. But, if you are unsure and want to join us in keeping an eye on the situation, please join us in the group Canadians for New Media Freedom and be sure to let the CRTC know how you feel about this as it relates to television, print, radio and new media.
