Broadcast industry continues to question effectiveness of Heritage committee study

With the House of Commons committee reviewing the Broadcasting Act set to reconvene hearings January 31, industry players say it is becoming increasingly evident that the committee has neither the expertise nor the focus to effect any substantial changes. While the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage is supposed to be hearing concerns of the broadcasting sector, most of the presentations to date have been devoted to educating committee members about basic industry concepts (CCR, Nov. 22/01, Nov. 9/01). "It seems that the issues that they’re trying to tackle and the issues that have been brought before them from the groups so far – as far as I’ve seen – go beyond the level of knowledge of the committee members," says Gerry Wall, president of Wallcom, which specializes in economic research in the broadcasting and telecom sectors. "It might be better to strike a specialized committee, which has that level of knowledge. Because I think that a review of the Broadcasting Act is a good idea at this point in time." Committee chair Clifford Lincoln defends the committee’s review thus far. "I think that the members have done a good job of studying the background of the Broadcasting Act," he tells CCR. "I think that the members are pretty familiar with the scene now." In her presentation before the committee last year, Canadian Heritage minister Sheila Copps said she had shied away from a review by a committee of experts in favour of a more open study by a committee of Parliament. The committee is not expected to meet its deadline of having a report of recommendations issued by year-end as part of its 18-month review. More than half of the presenters who have already appeared before the committee have been asked back for further clarification, and some groups have not been able to appear as scheduled due to an overbooked agenda. Some industry observers are predicting a repeat of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, chaired by Liberal senator Marie-P Poulin, that unceremoniously disbanded after holding hearings but without issuing a report. That committee was charged with examining policy issues for the 21st century, including such far-reaching issues as e-commerce, Internet security, Canadian content, and the roles of the CRTC, Competition Bureau and the Copyright Board (CCR, Jan. 17/01, May 25/00, and April 27/00). "There was no report, no summary. After all that effort that went into appearing before the committee, we didn’t see one word. It all went into a black hole," says one industry player. Lincoln is adamant a report will be issued, although he is not sure when, as legislation could put the timetable of the committee further off course. "All our work is conditional upon what legislation comes before the committee, because legislation takes first priority," Lincoln points out. "For instance, we know that legislation is going to come on copyright amendments. If copyright amendments are brought before the committee as we’ve been told, we’ve got to examine the legislation clause by clause… which means we’ve got to set aside the broadcasting study." However, Lincoln notes that the hiring in the coming weeks of two experts to advise the committee will help keep the study on track. Those experts are believed to be Marc Raboy, a professor at the University of Montreal’s Department of Communications, and David Taras, a professor at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Communication and Culture. Neither professor would comment until the committee makes an official announcement of the hiring of its experts. But Raboy told CCR when the committee’s review was first announced that the Broadcasting Act didn’t need to be extensively revamped because it was technologically neutral (CCR, May 24/01). "We want to make this study credible," says Lincoln. "What we want to do is hear from the people. If they haven’t been heard fully, then they have to be heard fully. We have to find the time." He adds that the committee at the moment does have a schedule leading up to a report at year-end. "If all goes according to plan, we should be able to issue a report within 12 months. If it doesn’t, then we will have to decide what to do." Following hearings in Ottawa on January 31, the committee will travel to Toronto and Montreal from February 5-7 to conduct site visits of broadcast facilities. It will then head out west on February 25 and to Atlantic Canada in March for hearings. The Communications Research Centre Canada, Digital Radio Roll-Out Inc. (DRRI), and the Canadian Association of Internet Providers are scheduled to appear on January 31.

Broadcast industry continues to question effectiveness of Heritage committee study

Broadcast | January 31, 2002

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