http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jZIxfAoYzhYtz2BAbGRKW04pQ8qQClearly Carmi Levy and I are in different camps as this story illustrates.
For the record, while it's true that I "did not advocate regulation such as Canadian content on commercial websites" that's not the same as saying that I oppose it. I think the matter needs much consideration. There will be much polarization on this (and many other issues that will arise at the hearing) but the "right answer" or "best answer" really isn't known yet. It can only be derived by examining all facets of all aspects of the Canadian broadcasting world with due care and diligence -- and that will take a long time.
I'm not sure how Levy can say that he doesn't believe the CRTC's approach to the Internet will work since it has yet to define what its approach will be.
Furthermore, saying that the CRTC should have acted 15 years ago is questionable at the least. There was little if any video on the Internet 15 years ago and I doubt that any form on Internet radio even existed then. Sure, it could be argued that the CRTC might have seen this coming but any regulation at that time would have stifled innovation. And in reality, it would have taken considerable foresight in 1993 to have realized where things would be today.
The commission has clearly and repeatedly indicated that it is interested in commercial operators who are transmitting professionally produced content. Levy is correct that "the truth of the matter is in the age of new media we are all broadcasters. We are all capable of distributing content." However, few of us have the content (or content rights) to do so -- and if we're "broadcasting" content for which we don't have the rights that's not a CRTC concern but rather is a copyright infringement matter.
