New broadcast ‘tool box’ needed, panel told

OTTAWA Canada’s broadcast regulator, and its public broadcaster, want federal lawmakers to ensure Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime pay a share for producing Canadian content.

In written submissions to a government panel this week, both the CRTC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation also call on Ottawa to create new rules that encourage news content distributors to ensure they deliver accurate and trustworthy information.

The submissions are part of a widescale review of Canada’s Broadcasting Act, Telecommunications Act and Radiocommunication Act that was started last June by a panel of experts chaired by Janet Yale.

Ian Scott, the commissioner of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, says he’s not looking for broad new powers to regulate the broadcast and telecom industries.

Rather, he says, the CRTC needs a smarter set of regulations that it can use to encourage foreign players to contribute to Canada’s cultural landscape.

The CBC’s submission is nearly identical in tone, saying the government needs to ensure that digital companies profiting from the Canadian cultural marketplace also help pay for the creation of Canadian programming.