Compulsory retransmission license going away?

From: mskala _-at-_ ansuz.sooke.bc.ca
To: canada-dmca-opponents (at) flora.org
Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2001 09:49:44 -0500 (EST)

I got the below story from this morning's "BNA Internet Law
News".  Although it's about the compulsory retransmission license, which
isn't what I and most of the other people here are primarily concerned
with, I think it's worth looking into.  I wouldn't get too upset about it
yet, though - cabinet ministers saying sympathetic things to the
broadcasters' association are a far cry from actual legislative changes.

CANADIAN MINISTERS PLEDGE CHANGE TO COPYRIGHT RETRANMISSION LAW
Canadian cabinet ministers Sheila Copps and Brian Tobin
yesterday told the Canadian Association of Broadcaster's
annual meeting that the Canadian government plans to
introduce amendments to the Copyright Act that would change
the retransmission provision to block its use by Internet
companies such as iCraveTV and JumpTV.  The ministers told
the broadcasters that the Internet retransmitters were
"pirates stealing your product" and that legislation would
be introduced by Christmas.  The timing of the announcement
was somewhat surprising -- the public consultation on the
issue, which undoubtedly heavily influenced government
opinion, only closed to comment last week.
<http://www.globetechnology.com/servlet/GAMArticleHTMLTemplate?tf=globetechnology/TGAM/NewsFullStory.html&cf=globetechnology/tech-config-neutral&slug=RBROD&date=20011030>

Matthew Skala                        "Whenever a copyright law is to be made
mskala@ansuz.sooke.bc.ca              or altered, then the idiots assemble."
http://ansuz.sooke.bc.ca/                                       - Mark Twain

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