New legislation passed by the Canadian government is going to require podcasters and streamers to register with the CRTC.
At first, this new law seems pretty benign. It only applies, at least right now, to those companies that have more than $10 million in revenue to register. And they're only collecting information at this stage - the type of content you're streaming, who your subscribers are, etc.
But don't kid yourself. This is the thin edge of the wedge. It sets up the CRTC to regulate all streaming content, and you can also be sure that shortly (however long it actually is), the rules will apply to all streamers. Perhaps, as with BETS/RSS210 over-the-air content, there will be exemptions for those with little to no revenue, but perhaps not. For those that the CRTC finally regulates, you can also bet that there will be Canadian Content dictates, again, much like it does for over-the-air and cable broadcasts.
Right now, it's difficult to stream legally in Canada due to the hassle of dealing with SOCAN. In the future, this will just add another layer of complexity.
uh oh!! You are the bearer of bad news it seems although just an opinion about this moving to all streamers or even BETS. Why would the CRTC be interested in you for example streaming as no one but who you tell even knows you are there. One or two people. And BETS, there is already some regulation and I don't know what would matter if the CRTC wants to know that you are there. But I don't think that BETS is large scale enough to matter to them. If the music license fee people like Socan and Resound don't care about BETS or even know what it is why would the CRTC care? We are not important. If we have 2 listeners we are doing good.
I was always taught cross bridges when you come to them. Worry about what is actually happening not "what if" as that is only conjecture and worry for nothing.
You're right, some of my concerns are opinion only, but these opinions are shared by many so-called experts.
If the CRTC sees something, it wants to regulate it. First over-the air broadcasting, then cable and given all that, regulating internet broadcasting makes a lot of sense (at least to them).
This is something different than the issues with Meta and Google news, which is mostly surrounding copyright (they're basically stealing news items from other sources). It's fundamentally controlling the content of broadcasts over the internet.
SOCAN doesn't care about copyright licensing with BETS broadcasting, as range is extremely limited. But it does care about streaming, where the potential audience is much greater, whether you actually get that audience or not.
Artisan Radio got a SOCAN license because it seemed the easiest way to stream legally without having to worry about copyright in anything and everything. With no revenue and virtually no operating expenses to speak of, the cost is relatively cheap. If the CRTC regulation of the internet goes the way it's heading, I would just shut down the stream, at least over the internet.
I've always wanted to experiment with creating a wide scale private intranet for potential listeners, using RSS210 network equipment. Since these devices can have up to a watt of output power, and you can easily set them up in a network configuration, it would be easy to get far more range than with BETS or RSS210 - you would just have to connect to the private network with a smartphone or other network enabled device, and then tune in.
Untll then, we'll just keep on trucking.
@artisan-radio said "I've always wanted to experiment with creating a wide scale private intranet for potential listeners, using RSS210 network equipment. Since these devices can have up to a watt of output power, and you can easily set them up in a network configuration, it would be easy to get far more range than with BETS or RSS210 - you would just have to connect to the private network with a smartphone or other network enabled device, and then tune in".
This wouldn't be an over the air transmission, correct? Only receivable with
a smartphone or "special device" and an app you have to pay for? Closed circuit so to speak? How and where would you get the special transmitter for this? You said 1 watt.
Have never heard of this or know what an intranet is.
Don't worry about the CRTC. It seems according to the only issue of BETS that BETS started in 1996 and the CRTC has had lots of time to regulate it and they just have the few rules and have never done more than that. We aren't big enough for them to care.
Not being in Canada my operation does not have to abide by the CRTC, but law making bodies everywhere tend to tilt toward authoritarianism and want to be able to know what everyone is doing so that the law can be written in such a way as to 'extort' creativity and take their share of our effort. Mark wrote "We aren't big enough for them to care", but they must snoop around to make sure we can't get 'big' without their horning in as our uninvited 'partners'. Power games also happen here in the U.S., for example the previous chairman of the FCC, Aijet Pai', saw to it that internet neutrality was taken away so ISPs could yank us around and exploit us, only now the current FCC Chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, is re-introducing the concept of net neutrality to hopefully put things back in balance. Freedom is always near death and attracts vultures. The forces of good tend to get shoved around. Aren't you glad I'm not ranting about it?
As the last AM Transmitters are being shutdown in Europe as many governments are turning the band over to peole like us , allowing one to one hundred watts of power. In Canada most AM stations are already off the air , they should let people operate on the band with few regulations. Why waste resources on a dead radio band ....
@1620am I second that but first they have to get rid of the nonbroadcasting/broadcasting nonsense. This doesn't exist in any other country where hobby radio is permitted at some level.
Generally, governments see (or, in our case, hear), governments regulate.
I don't believe there are all that many governments just turning over radio spectrum to unlicensed operators. At least from what I've read. Maybe I'm wrong - examples would be nice.
I know that any type of broadcasting in the UK without a license is illegal.
I know that New Zealand allows up to 1 watt in the edges of the FM band, but even then you still require a license. Easy to get, but the government knows where you live, and you can still be inspected.
We have it pretty good in the U.S. and Canada with unlicensed broadcasting. Particularly the U.S. on the AM band. I've never gotten 6 miles on AM (1 to 2 at most in a suburb and a sensitive car radio), and you can argue antenna rule technicalities, but getting that with a 100mw transmitter is pretty impressive.
Here in Canada it's possible to get 1/2 km and more range on FM with a good installation and receiver (and in the right area).
There are precedents for content regulation in the radio spectrum. Amateur radio is meant to be strictly non commercial and slices of that spectrum are allocated for that purpose. Commercial activities are strictly forbidden.
Canada's broadcasting/nonbroadcasting conundrum is due to the existence of the CRTC, which regulates broadcasting content. If you are deemed to be broadcasting, then the CRTC reserves the right to demand you get a license from them, regardless of whether you are operating under the Industry Canada unlicensed rules or not. It does make sense from their perspective.
I personally find the copyright rules and regulations to be the most onerous aspect of doing what I'm doing. Some just ignore the issues, cross their fingers and hope they don't get caught. But if there's one thing that keeps me awake at night over Artisan Radio, it's that. Currently, I'm licensed with SOCAN for my streaming activities (the major licensing bodies in Canada have stated they don't care about legal unlicensed over-the-air broadcasting), but the rules are so complex that I always worry about missing something. At the end of this year I likely will go back to non copyrighted programming (Old Time Radio, Acoustic-era music, Book Readings, etc.).
I asked Johny C about how it is in New Zealand and the license is free. They just need to know who you are and where you are basically. You have 1 watt radiated power and no field strength restrictions and any antenna can be used but the transmitter has to be certified by their government. I don't know if you want to go somewhere temporarily and take the station with you to a different location is allowed.
Heavy Metal did have a point when he mentioned Canada and it's true that outside of Southern Ontario the AM band in the daytime is near silent in most of the country and it wouldn't hurt to give us a little more...still regulated but maybe 500mW? Or in the case of BETS up it to 1000uV/M@30 meters? Just agreeing with him. But I disagree it should be without rules to follow. Even the licensed stations have to go by rules.
@artisan-radio. I'm not for totally letting anyone do as they please on any part of the radio spectrum. The countries in Europe that have opened up the band do have some regulations, and a license but from what I can see they're not real restrictive . Here in the US they can inspect any part 15 station , normally they don't unless the person is being a pest .... Such as broadcasting foul language, hate speech or competing with licensed stations. If it's a hobby station most of the time they don't bother . Range is very dependent on location. .. The station in Virginia I visited reached 4 to 6 miles but salt water and salt marshes helped his range . What helps my range is hundreds of feet of wire radials , something that wouldn't fit on most peoples property. My other station in another state I nly reaches to the most ..4.6 miles . In that area salt water and salt marshes add to the range , plus high soil conductivity. The problem there is I can't use a vertical antenna because of lightning or the station would have more coverage.
@mark I didn't mean no rules at all . It's a bite difficult for me to see what I'm typing most days . Today everything is very clear , no double vision at all and the contrast is very good . It's a really difficult for me to type or do anything inside , outside much better but no useful peripheral vision. I will try to upload a site over in the Netherlands, a 25 watt hobby station that I found . The antenna uses Silver plated wire and hooked to a tall Aluminum tower , with capacitance hat. He doesn't state it but it appears to be hooked to a house .