I saw a comment along the lines that ownership restrictions on content providers and telecommunications providers are so tightly linked that they could not be separated. Baloney! The debate about foreign ownership restrictions on telecommunications has nothing to do with culture. If it is public policy to restrict foreign ownership of content providers, that could easily be accomodated with unrestricted ownership of telecommunications providers. For example, if Rogers (RCI) wants to be in both the content and the telecommunications businesses, it could structure its telecommunications businesses - telephone, cable, wireless (call it say Rogers Telecom) as a separate subsidiary of RCI and it could maintain as much or as little ownership of Rogers Telecom as it wants with as much or as little capital provided from foreign investors as it wants.
Actually, does anybody has any insight why the CRTC is even involved in this at all? I know that this is the present state of affairs, but how did it come to be?
I understand that CRTC regulates the radio, tv, etc. Canadian content, which is understandable with them being under the Department of Canadian Heritage. So, basically, mostly, they regulate the CONTENT. But what that has to do with the telephony??? This is a purely a technical field, no cultural issues involved. Unless of course, somebody was thinking at some time in the past to force English and French as the only two official languages allowed for telephone conversations? No Mandarin, Punjabi, or Polish for you!...eh?
Now, I understand that the country should not give up the ownership of the vital industry like the telecommunication into the foreign ownership. Still, this has nothing to do with the cultural content, so it seems to me that is should have nothing to do with CRTC, and everything to do with Industry Canada.
They are in charge of content and the main way of controlling content is by controlling the medium in which content is delivered.
It grew from controlling the radio signals that could be used to deliver both entertainment as well as communications.
The CRTC is supposed to report to Industry Canada in regards to telecommunications and the Ministry of Heritage when dealing with media outlets and content.
It become sticky because the 3 major players sell both communications and and deliver media, whereas Globalive only delivers communications.
So according to this conversation ... Konrad von Finckenstein has really over stepped his bounds in this ruling. I truly believe his eagerness to set a precedent is going to be his downfall.
When I e-mailed the CRTC I made crack about how I couldn't understand why the same people who ensure Nickleback gets played on the radio has any say in how I get to communicated people, and they replied with the following:
"the Commission reports to the Minister of Industry with respect to its mandate under the Telecommunications Act and to the Minister of Heritage under the Broadcasting Act."
I normally post when I'm bored at work, it's been busy because Christmas is coming up. And while I'm still bored most of the time the work load is heavier.
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