Funding for Canadian content `a major issue´, says panel looking at overhauling digital laws
(The Star Fashion & Style)

How do you go about supporting the creation and production of Canadian content in the digital age?That’s one of the major questions facing a federal legislative review panel whose findings will set the course for an overhaul of Canada’s digital and regulatory laws.The panel released a long-awaited interim “What We Heard� report Wednesday disclosing the key themes and issues that will shape their recommendations.Stable funding to create and tell Canadian stories in an age where foreign online platforms are flooding the market with a record amount of content is one of the major themes in the report. “Funding for content is a major issue,� the panel, headed by former Telus executive Janet Yale, said in the report.“The loss of revenue experienced by the traditional players … in favour of new players in the cultural sectors … has prompted most parties to call for equitable treatment.�Read more:Canada urged to respond faster as digital landscape evolves‘Smarter’ rules would ensure all digital players pay for CanCon, panel toldFederal panel to review broadcasting rules for the internet eraCanada must ‘think big’ when pondering the future of broadcasting laws, panel chair saysYale said she has heard recommendations that online platforms such as Netflix and Amazon contribute some portion of their profits to the Canadian Media Fund to produce Canadian content. That’s already a regulatory requirement for cable operators.“This could be achieved through a licensing system, binding agreements or regulations with administrative monetary policies,� the report said.Despite pushback from foreign online platforms that said they were already investing and contributing to the creative ecosystem, Yale said “the majority insisted on binding measures to ensure funding remains available for Canadian content in the face of market failures.�Yale’s 57-page interim report ...