Media Reclamation Project

In this email:

1) next Media Matters meeting
2) Linchpin issue 2 out now
3) upcoming Media Matters events
4) guide to citizen journalism
5) recent CRTC decision

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1) Next Media Matters meeting …

… will be on Thursday, February 7 at 7pm, at the OPIRG-Ottawa office (631 King Edward Ave, 3rd floor).

This is our first meeting of the new year, so feel free to drop in with your ideas and enthusiasm.

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2) The new Linchpin newspaper is now out

Visit http://linchpin.ca to browse the articles, or download the full 8-pg pdf file: http://linchpin.ca/files/linchpintwonewsletter.pdf

Media Matters worked on a special 2-pg Ottawa insert, which can be downloaded at http://ottawa.indymedia.org/media/2008/01//6707.pdf

Also note the article on media activism by Media Matters volunteer Greg Macdougall, at http://linchpin.ca/node/554

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3) Upcoming Media Matters events:

Saturday, February 9: Workshop as part of the Community Movements: Building Solidarity for Social Change conference at Trent University in Peterborough: http://buildingsolidarityconference2008.20fr.com/

Friday February 15, 7pm: Film screening of “Un Poquitao de Tanta Veridad (A Little Bit of So Much Truth)” @ MacDonald Hall Auditorium (MCD 146), 150 Louis Pasteur Street, University of Ottawa: http://www.cinemapolitica.org/ottawa

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4) Guide to Citizen Journalism

The Rising Voices Web site has released the first in a series of guides on interactive media. An Introduction to Citizen Media offers case studies on how people are using tools such as blogs, podcasts, online video and digital photography to engage in global conversations.

Rising Voices, an initiative that promotes citizen media, said that the goal of the guide is to show that anyone with Internet access can take part in the “emerging global conversation.” The guide’s first edition is available in English, Spanish and Bengali. Future editions will be available in Swahili, Malagasy and Aymara, the organizers said in a news release.

The guide in English (PDF format):

http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/library/Introduction-to-Citizen-Media-EN.pdf

For more information: http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/news/

http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/blog/2008/01/16/a-introductory-guide-to-global-citizen-media/

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5) Recent CRTC decision
Comments first from the Council of Canadians, then excerpt from NCRA list

(this from the Council of Canadians, Jan 15)

As reported by CTV today, “Canada’s broadcast regulator has put in place new rules on media ownership in Canada that will restrict how big the country’s broadcasters can get, following a year of unprecedented deals in the sector. After hearings were held last fall to probe media ownership rules, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission introduced three significant rule changes Tuesday: 1) No person or company will be allowed to control more than two of types of media in one local market, including local TV, local radio and a local newspaper. 2) No company will be allowed to control more than 45 per cent of the total television audience in Canada, which could restrict the acquisition of specialty cable channels by major broadcasters. 3) Deals between television distributors, such as cable and satellite TV companies, will not be allowed if they result in one company or person controlling the delivery of programming in a market.”

CBC.ca reports that, “The ownership restrictions followed hearings last year into the issue of media concentration and the diversity of voices following two high-profile media deals – CanWest Global’s purchase of Alliance Atlantis Communications, and CTV’s acquisition of Chum Ltd. The new rules are not retroactive and will not require any change to the current media ownership picture in Canada.” The Council’s media release on that issue, ‘CRTC foreign ownership decision puts Canadian media at risk, says Council of Canadians’, can be read at http://www.canadians.org/media/other/2007/21-Dec-07.html.

Please note below comments from the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union, the Canadian Media Guild, and the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting as reported by CBC.ca on this CRTC announcement:

CEP
The CRTC ruling “allows the big players to become bigger, and does very little if anything to limit media concentration in Canada,” said Peter Murdoch, vice-president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union. “The new policy does nothing about media empires that currently have a stranglehold on some large markets, such as Vancouver, or about what happens on a national level,” he said.

CANADIAN MEDIA GUILD
The Canadian Media Guild agreed. “The CRTC is preserving the current unacceptable levels of concentration and is not even adopting meaningful measures to stop it from getting worse,” said Guild president Lise Lareau. “By their own admission, they are legalizing the status quo since they admit that their new rules are not being contravened anywhere in Canada.”

FRIENDS OF CANADIAN BROADCASTING
But the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting liked the CRTC’s policy changes. “The CRTC is recognizing that as a result of media concentration, there are levels of concentration that could well pose a threat to diversity and, therefore, democracy,” said the group’s spokesman, Ian Morrison. “Although I would quibble on some of the details, I think this an example of the CRTC doing its job,” he said.

The CTV/Globe and Mail article ‘CRTC puts new restrictions on media ownership’ can be found at http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080115.wCRTC0115/business/Business/businessBN/ctv-business.

The CBC article ‘CRTC imposes cross-media ownership restrictions’ can be read at http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/01/15/crtc.html.

(and from the NCRA list)

Here’s what they had to say about the community aspect (section ‘E’):

E. The community element
E-1 How should the Commission address the community element in broadcasting?

160.
As noted earlier in this public notice, community broadcasting is one of the three basic elements that make up the Canadian broadcasting system. A healthy community element, strong public broadcasters and a plurality of voices within the private element provide the basis for a broadcasting system that offers Canadians a diversity of voices.

Canada has played a central role in the development of community media and it is considered by many to be the birthplace of community broadcasting. The community element was developed to provide local groups with access to the broadcasting system. Community broadcasting, which is local, volunteer-based and largely not-for-profit, is often able to broadcast a diverse range of voices, alternative points of view, and innovative programming ideas.

The Commission’s policies for campus and community radio were last reviewed in 2000. These reviews resulted in Public Notice 2000-12 (the Campus Radio Policy) and Public Notice 2000-13 (the Community Radio Policy). In 2002, the Commission issued Public Notice 2002-61 (the Community-based Media Policy), which focused largely on community television.

Summary of comments 163.
At the Public Hearing a number of parties spoke to concerns regarding community broadcasting.

All of those representing community broadcasting organizations stated that improved funding is required in order to ensure a healthy community sector. The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA), l’Alliance des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Canada (ARC du Canada) and l’Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec (ARC du Québec) all advocated a re-examination of the Commission’s benefits policy in order to divert a specific portion to the community sector.

Several parties raised concerns that spectrum was not being reserved for the community sector at a time when spectrum availability is becoming limited. TimeScape Productions also stated that national distribution undertakings should be required to reserve spectrum for the community sector.

With respect to community television, Shaw submitted that the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations (the BDU Regulations) should be modified to allow it to offer a national community channel with the 5% of revenues that it pays for local expression.

St. Andrews Community Channel Inc., licensee of CHCT-TV, requested that the BDU Regulations be amended to ensure that community services receive basic tier carriage by terrestrial BDU providers.

Radio Ottawa Inc., licensee of CHUO-FM Ottawa, submitted that the Commission needs to develop a policy for non-commercial media that would take a more assertive position on the development of community media.

The Commission recognizes the importance of the community element in the Canadian broadcasting system. While campus and community radio, in both official lanuages, is reasonably widespread, community-based television operations do not yet occupy a significant place in the system. Cable community channels remain an important component of the system but, increasingly, they have a regional rather than a local focus.

The cost of television production equipment continues to decline, and new distribution technologies offer cost-effective means of delivering community programming to audiences. However, stable funding to allow for the production of quality community programming remains a significant issue.

In this regard, the Commission notes that in June 2007 the Department of Canadian Heritage announced that it had undertaken a review of the community and campus radio broadcasting sectors. It is expected that the results of this review will be available in the Spring of 2008.

In light of the record of this proceeding and the changes taking place in the broadcasting environment, the Commission has decided to undertake a comprehensive review of its policies with respect to community-based radio and television. The objective of this review will be to ensure that the Commission’s regulatory policy supports the development of a healthy community broadcasting sector.

This review will include, but will not be limited to,: the most appropriate licensing policy for community undertakings; the role of new technologies in the creation and distribution of community services; funding sources for not-for-profit community licensees; the role, if any, of national community undertakings; and the results of the Department of Canadian Heritage’s review of community radio.