The CRTC said it would leave podcasts alone. Turns out that was a myth
The CRTC has backtracked on its promise to leave podcasts alone. While it was careful to state that podcasters themselves don’t have to register with the Commission, the web-based platforms that make podcasts available must do so.
Canada still lacks confidence in its ability to compete iin the world and is stuck on government protecting our “culture”. Time to wake up, get serious about letting Canadians compete. Time to stop protecting folks that can’t compete.
4th October 2023 at 8:19 am
Thor Ragnorson
When “public” institutions blatantly lie to cover for Liberal policy you know the system is broken. The LPC clearly looks to the PRC as a model of government and they have the bureaucratic mandarins to make it happen. Let’s not forget that 90 million CCP members rule 1.4 Billion Chinese citizens. 6% of the population. The incentive program the CCP has developed requires no free speech, no open sharing of ideas and no development of personalities or organizations that the CCP doesn’t control. This is what the psychos in the LPC want. No competition. It’s the only way they can win and continue to destroy Canada.
4th October 2023 at 8:44 am
Rob Tyrrell
Let’s list your assertions…
– The LPC is trying to implement China’s PRC model of governing.
– This podcast regulation is part of a plan to ensure no free speech, no open sharing of ideas and no development of personalities or organizations NOT under LPC control.
– LPC leadership in the current Federal government contains psychos.
– LPC leadership in the current Federal government wants no competition (across the board? just in media?)
– This plan is required for the LPC to win future elections.
– The want to “continue” to destroy Canada (be sure to let us know when Canada is destroyed).
Anything missing? Anything Incorrect?
Is all of this really necessary, let alone true, to make the case that the CRTC intentions and methods should be opposed?
4th October 2023 at 9:09 am
Michael F
Thank you Rob for once again being a reasonable voice here and calling out the hyperbole. I may not always agree with you, but I do respect your calls for decorum.
4th October 2023 at 7:53 pm
Rudyard Griffiths
This was a helpful article. When the initial news reports on this story came out last week I focused on the $10M in revenues as the point when a podcast producer would come under the scrutiny of the CRTC. Peter helpfully explains this is really about targeting the big podcast platforms and there are some parallels here we can chose not to enjoy in terms of C-18 and the Online News Act. Specifically, in both cases the government is using large digital corporations (Apple, Meta, Google, etc.) to express their policy preferences by targeting the distributors not the creators of content. To some extent this could be expected as it is exactly what the CRTC does with broadcasters in terms of regulating content. An interesting question to ask is why should podcasting get treated differently than other types of broadcast content such as radio? The CRTC has a mandate to promote access to Canadian content and as such it hardly seems surprising that short of changing its rationale as a regulatory body it now has the popular medium of podcasting in its sights. Would be curious as to Peter’s thoughts on this…. What exactly is new or unexpected here? Thanks.
4th October 2023 at 9:13 am
Jo Wearing
So evidence is growing on how social media is distorting conversations and causing harm esp to younger people with misinformation ie lies. I get the way the CRTC got involved is a problem but I am interested in how we can allow free speech and different views without allowing the podcast world to become another place that heightens misinformation and social divisions. Already comments here are assuming views from the right side of the political spectrum will be targeted and if so that is wrong of course. But we do have a problem that needs to be addressed.
4th October 2023 at 9:45 am
Rob Tyrrell
“Just as likely is that platforms will be regulated to ensure podcasts designated by the CRTC are given priority visibility/discoverability online over undesignated podcasts through the manipulation of algorithms.“
Don’t get the principle yet or are not convinced that this CRTC exercise of power is a problem?
Okay, then maybe the types of possible boosted podcasts will resonate more?…
“These are likely to be podcasts by Indigenous, BIPOC and LGBTQ2S creators.”
*gasp*
The nature of the topics of boosted podcasts should. be. irrelevant. to a well constructed argument for why this CRTC move is wrong. Why was ‘religious’ not on this this list that seems intended to provoke the/my assumed audience of the article?
I’m not sure that the CRTC promised anything, but they certainly seem to have been disingenuous, or perhaps even lied, about their intentions.
I’m not opposed to CRTC regulatory intervention in principle. I wonder what the practical outcome of this would be to your average Canadian podcast listener? I would guess that most people seek out podcasts that they are interested in versus just searching for something unknown. Even if a boosted podcast was found, who is going to spend more than five minutes listening to something that they are not already interested in?
There are certainly implications to this that I am missing, and I look forward to having them pointed out.
Regardless, I am not supportive of this means of regulating podcast content. I am certainly not supportive of the doublespeak manner of the ongoing implementation.
4th October 2023 at 7:50 am
Linda Feesey
Rumble.com The video podcaster that is the ‘home of free speech’ based in Canada. It hosts the international dissenting voices of Russel Brand and Glenn Greenwald among others.
4th October 2023 at 7:39 am
jacob birch
“So whike the CRTC concedes that while “the Broadcasting Act does not give the”
Comments (9)
Canada still lacks confidence in its ability to compete iin the world and is stuck on government protecting our “culture”. Time to wake up, get serious about letting Canadians compete. Time to stop protecting folks that can’t compete.
When “public” institutions blatantly lie to cover for Liberal policy you know the system is broken. The LPC clearly looks to the PRC as a model of government and they have the bureaucratic mandarins to make it happen. Let’s not forget that 90 million CCP members rule 1.4 Billion Chinese citizens. 6% of the population. The incentive program the CCP has developed requires no free speech, no open sharing of ideas and no development of personalities or organizations that the CCP doesn’t control. This is what the psychos in the LPC want. No competition. It’s the only way they can win and continue to destroy Canada.
Let’s list your assertions…
– The LPC is trying to implement China’s PRC model of governing.
– This podcast regulation is part of a plan to ensure no free speech, no open sharing of ideas and no development of personalities or organizations NOT under LPC control.
– LPC leadership in the current Federal government contains psychos.
– LPC leadership in the current Federal government wants no competition (across the board? just in media?)
– This plan is required for the LPC to win future elections.
– The want to “continue” to destroy Canada (be sure to let us know when Canada is destroyed).
Anything missing? Anything Incorrect?
Is all of this really necessary, let alone true, to make the case that the CRTC intentions and methods should be opposed?
Thank you Rob for once again being a reasonable voice here and calling out the hyperbole. I may not always agree with you, but I do respect your calls for decorum.
This was a helpful article. When the initial news reports on this story came out last week I focused on the $10M in revenues as the point when a podcast producer would come under the scrutiny of the CRTC. Peter helpfully explains this is really about targeting the big podcast platforms and there are some parallels here we can chose not to enjoy in terms of C-18 and the Online News Act. Specifically, in both cases the government is using large digital corporations (Apple, Meta, Google, etc.) to express their policy preferences by targeting the distributors not the creators of content. To some extent this could be expected as it is exactly what the CRTC does with broadcasters in terms of regulating content. An interesting question to ask is why should podcasting get treated differently than other types of broadcast content such as radio? The CRTC has a mandate to promote access to Canadian content and as such it hardly seems surprising that short of changing its rationale as a regulatory body it now has the popular medium of podcasting in its sights. Would be curious as to Peter’s thoughts on this…. What exactly is new or unexpected here? Thanks.
So evidence is growing on how social media is distorting conversations and causing harm esp to younger people with misinformation ie lies. I get the way the CRTC got involved is a problem but I am interested in how we can allow free speech and different views without allowing the podcast world to become another place that heightens misinformation and social divisions. Already comments here are assuming views from the right side of the political spectrum will be targeted and if so that is wrong of course. But we do have a problem that needs to be addressed.
“Just as likely is that platforms will be regulated to ensure podcasts designated by the CRTC are given priority visibility/discoverability online over undesignated podcasts through the manipulation of algorithms.“
Don’t get the principle yet or are not convinced that this CRTC exercise of power is a problem?
Okay, then maybe the types of possible boosted podcasts will resonate more?…
“These are likely to be podcasts by Indigenous, BIPOC and LGBTQ2S creators.”
*gasp*
The nature of the topics of boosted podcasts should. be. irrelevant. to a well constructed argument for why this CRTC move is wrong. Why was ‘religious’ not on this this list that seems intended to provoke the/my assumed audience of the article?
I’m not sure that the CRTC promised anything, but they certainly seem to have been disingenuous, or perhaps even lied, about their intentions.
I’m not opposed to CRTC regulatory intervention in principle. I wonder what the practical outcome of this would be to your average Canadian podcast listener? I would guess that most people seek out podcasts that they are interested in versus just searching for something unknown. Even if a boosted podcast was found, who is going to spend more than five minutes listening to something that they are not already interested in?
There are certainly implications to this that I am missing, and I look forward to having them pointed out.
Regardless, I am not supportive of this means of regulating podcast content. I am certainly not supportive of the doublespeak manner of the ongoing implementation.
Rumble.com The video podcaster that is the ‘home of free speech’ based in Canada. It hosts the international dissenting voices of Russel Brand and Glenn Greenwald among others.
“So whike the CRTC concedes that while “the Broadcasting Act does not give the”