The public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada will receive a maximum of $7 million from the $100 million annual fund that Google will have to finance for the media, the Department of Canadian Heritage announced Friday.
Radio and television stations will receive a maximum of 30% of the prize pool, or $30 million. The lion’s share, however, goes to the written media, for which up to 63% of the fund is reserved.
In a press release, the public Crown corporation said it was “delighted” with the unveiling of the regulations under the Online News Act.
“It is also important that the regulations recognize the value of the information produced by CBC/Radio-Canada by ensuring that it is also compensated,” indicated the public broadcaster.
This decision does not only make people happy.
For Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux, “it is absolutely unfair and inappropriate that Radio-Canada can receive a share of this too small amount of $100 million.”
This $7 million represents “a drop in the ocean of funding for Radio-Canada,” which receives government funding exceeding $1 billion each year.
Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet recently spoke of a “contrary” scenario [à] Robin Hood”: “it’s taking from the poor to give to the rich”.
The government of François Legault was also against the inclusion of the state company in the agreement.
New Democrat Peter Julian did not oppose the inclusion of the public broadcaster, which does “essential” work, but called for more support for the media in general.
The entry into force of the Online News Act on December 19 will open a new 180-day negotiation period during which the media concerned will form a collective to continue talks with Google.
The annual amount of $100 million will be set for inflation.