At least one Canadian producer group says the new streaming law could create a two-tier system, in which foreign broadcasters are held to lower standards than Canadian broadcasters.
The Canadian Media Producers Association says Bill C-11, which passed parliament on Thursday, could allow foreign broadcasters to hire fewer Canadian creators in the production of Canadian programming.
The association, which represents hundreds of independent producers in the TV, film and digital media sector in English Canada, says the CRTC, which has been tasked with enforcing the new law, must close this ‘loophole’ when determining, in the coming months, how to apply the law.
The new law passed Thursday updates the Broadcasting Act to require digital platforms such as Netflix, YouTube and TikTok to contribute and promote Canadian content.
It also places online broadcasting platforms under the regulatory authority of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Penalties will be imposed on companies that do not make Canadian content available to users in the country.
Despite its concerns, the Canadian Association of Media Producers says it’s pleased that the new law contains key provisions that ensure its members can meaningfully and fairly benefit from the content they produce.
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