January 17, 2006

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January 17, 2006 in Uncategorized by delus | No comments

Convergence at CRTC

January 17, 2006 in Legislation by Administrator | No comments

I had missed that one. CRTC makes a first move to adapt its structure to the convergence reality:
Effective immediately, broadcasting and telecommunications policy and operations will largely be grouped under a converged structure and leadership. A new integrated Industry Analysis, Economics and Technology section will be created as a resource for both broadcasting and telecommunications.
 
In my opinion, broadcasting is a particular application of the more general field of “telecommunications”. This being said, broadcasting requires specific caracteristics that are not always available in telecommunications systems today. That’s precisely the case with wireless networks. Also, applications exploiting the broadcast paradigm have specific properties. Currently, the wireless telecommunications industry shows a great interest in broadcasting technologies such DVB-H and DAB/DMB.
 
Convergence is a slow and difficult process in industries, organisations and especially governments. This here is good news.

Review of commercial radio policy in Canada

January 17, 2006 in Legislation, public broadcasting by Administrator | No comments

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will be holding a public hearing in May 2006. The notice underlines the fact that since the last policy review in 1998, we have seen many “dramatic” technological changes:
 
The seven years since the 1998 Policy came into effect have seen the advent of new digital technologies and methods of distribution that are having a profound effect on the way in which people, particularly young people, obtain and listen to music. This is presenting the radio industry with new opportunities, but also new challenges: in addition to the satellite radio services now available, file-sharing, podcasting, downloading, and audio streaming, all facilitated through the increasing ubiquity of the Internet, offer new and often more flexible alternatives to the traditional practices of purchasing recorded music and listening to radio broadcasting.
 
Radio has to be redifined. Even the term “radio” has no clear meaning within this new context. The former definition of radio is based on some specific networking technologies (AM, FM, …), value chains (advertising,…), formats (talk/music mix,…) and so on. A radio broadcaster today has three roles: operate the network, manage content and finaly sell advertizing time. In our new converging world, the radio ecosystem will be broader, richer and much more flexible. Everyone can be a braodcaster. Everyone can afford to be a braodcaster. To listeners, all this will bring more convenience and choice.
 
I have strong doubts that the new policy will address all the Broadcasting 2.0 challenges and opportunities but at least, CRTC seems to be willing to have look at them.