Canadian govt. outlined proposed changes in country’s Copyright A...
Canadian govt. outlined proposed changes in country’s Copyright Act that would entirely block or place “limitations and conditions” on Internet retransmission of TV signals by companies such as JumpTV.com, which wants same license as cable for retransmitting broadcast TV…
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signals over Internet. In letter to coalition of broadcasters, producers and movie distributors, govt. said options for modifying compulsory retransmission licensing regime included only that: (1) Retransmission licensing regime could expressly exclude Internet. (2) Retransmission licensing regime could “require compliance with new limitations and conditions appropriate to the unique concerns raised by Internet- based retransmission.” May 21 letter from the Industry and Heritage depts., said govt. would release consultation paper “before this summer” on “whether persons engaged in the Internet- based retransmission of over-the-air TV or radio signals should be entitled to rely on the Copyright Act’s compulsory retransmission licence.” Letter showed that big media “can buy the laws in this country,” said JumpTV.com CEO Farrel Miller: “The federal government should be embarrassed to disseminate a letter which is clearly so one-sided, without any due process first.” Miller said that “if in fact the government has prejudged the issue, it raises substantial issues regarding fair due process… JumpTV has always represented that application of retransmission laws in Canada must be applied in a technology-neutral manner.”