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The Mainichi
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Sanseito protests TBS program's election coverage, demands correction
TOKYO -- Minor opposition party Sanseito filed a protest against a program aired by Tokyo Broadcasting System Television Inc. (TBS) over the upcoming House of Councillors election, claiming that its content "significantly lacked impartiality and neutrality as election coverage." The party on July 13 also released a written request demanding the broadcaster correct the content of the program "Hodo Tokushu" (roughly translating to "news special"). But an expert labelled Sanseito's move as "pressuring a news organization." The TBS investigative reporting program on July 12 featured Japanese political parties' policies on foreign nationals -- suddenly a key issue in the July 20 upper house election -- as well views about those policies. Regarding Sanseito and its "Japanese first" stance, the program explained, "The party argues that 'foreigners are given preferential treatment' and has repeatedly made hardline arguments on crime and public assistance." The program also broadcast remarks made by Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya and voices of concern among international students about the discriminatory climate. On its website, Sanseito claimed, "The segment's composition and expression, as well as the selection of people who appeared in the program, among other elements, run counter to broadcasting ethics," and expressed the view that it constituted "unjust biased reporting." The party revealed that it had submitted Kamiya's opinion to the Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization (BPO). A TBS public relations representative commented on July 14, "We've received the written request. We will respond (to Sanseito)." Senshu University professor of press law Kenta Yamada criticized Sanseito's move, saying, "This is a political party pressuring a news organization, and it's intolerable." He pointed out that the "political impartiality" stipulated in the Broadcasting Act "refers to quality impartiality, not quantity equality -- that is, listening to the voices of socially vulnerable people to achieve a fair society and correcting injustice." He continued, "The program's content was not at all deserving of criticism. Decisions about whether a program is impartial should not be made by political parties or politicians."
National Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Jamie Sarkonak: The CRTC is trying to tell local newsrooms what to report. It needs to stop
Article content The fund recipients that will now have to ask these questions include 15 Global News stations, three Jim Pattison Broadcast Group stations (in Medicine Hat, Kamloops and Prince George), Newfoundland's NTV, Hamilton's Channel Zero, Victoria's CHEK-TV, Lethbridge's Miracle Channel, Thunder Bay's CKPR-TV, along with several Quebec channels owned by RNC Media and Télé Inter-Rives. Article content The CRTC framed this as a simple measure of compliance with the law. The Broadcasting Act, prior to 2022, stated that the Canadian broadcasting system should reflect the 'multicultural and multiracial nature of Canadian society.' After 2022, this language was intensified with the passing of the controversial Online Streaming Act; now, the system should 'support community broadcasting that reflects both the diversity of the communities being served, including with respect to the languages in use within those communities and to their ethnocultural and Indigenous composition.' Article content There was a time when this merely meant that Canadian broadcasting should allow for multicultural programming; yes, Canada had language rules in broadcasting, as well as Canadian content requirements, but the CRTC wasn't concerned about ethnic scorekeeping. In 2013, the idea of even mandating regional content quotas was considered by the regulator to be an infringement of journalistic independence. Article content That all began to change under the Liberal government, however. The Liberals don't control the CRTC directly, of course, but they do decide who the commissioners are and what the broadcasting laws say. They can also step in if the CRTC takes its mission widely off course, as it's been doing for the past few years now. Article content In 2022, the CRTC imposed diversity quotas on parts of the CBC's programming budget to 'reflect contemporary Canada' — i.e., to achieve the regulator's preferred demographic balance. Article content Among other requirements, the CBC was required to spend 30 per cent of its budget line for English commissioned TV programs on diverse producers (the quota will rise to 35 per cent next year). A smaller quota was applied to the French side (which will reach 15 per cent next year). This was a direct, propagandistic intrusion by the regulator — and really, the Canadian government — into the editorial realm. Article content Article content In 2024, the CRTC began collecting a five per cent government cut from the revenues of international digital streamers operating in Canada — Spotify, Netflix, YouTube, etc. — which functionally became a diversity tax. The CRTC used the funds to advance its evergreen goal of equity, with payouts going to the intensely diversity-oriented Canada Media Fund, to media creators who checked diversity boxes, and to the Independent Local News Fund, which has now been absorbed into the CRTC's DEI machine. Article content The CRTC has seen a whole lot of mission bloat in this last decade, and we continue to pay for it. Literally. The staff headcount at the regulator's office rose from 450 in 2016 to 733 in 2025 — an increase of 63 per cent. And as it piles more regulatory requirements onto the companies it supervises, they have to hire more people in turn. We can assume any related bills are passed on to subscribers. Article content
Korea Herald
25-06-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Facing W100b deficit, KBS moves to raise TV license fee
State broadcaster aims to raise its 2,500 won monthly license fee, unchanged for 45 years Public broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System is pushing to raise its TV license fee for the first time in 45 years, amid mounting financial pressures and a rapidly changing media environment. At a meeting held Tuesday at KBS' Yeouido headquarters in Seoul, representatives from KBS viewers' committees issued a joint statement, urging the broadcaster to prepare measures for financial stability. The 19 regional KBS viewers' committees, mandated by Korea's Broadcasting Act, represent viewers' interests and offer monthly feedback on programming. During the meeting, Yang Eun-joo, vice-chairperson of the KBS Jeju viewers' committee, highlighted the pressure faced by small and mid-sized production companies as foreign capital increasingly encroaches on Korea's broadcast industry. 'As the country's largest broadcaster, KBS must act as a protector of the domestic production industry by fostering coexistence with small- to mid-sized production companies,' she was quoted as saying in a press statement released by KBS. Jung Jae-yeon, chairman of the KBS Chuncheon viewers' committee, noting KBS' efforts to use AI, expressed hopes that "with a realistic adjustment of the TV license fee, efforts will be made to develop AI broadcasting technologies that contribute to the public interest." The TV license fee has remained unchanged at 2,500 won ($1.80) per month since it was set in 1981. According to KBS, the proposal to increase the TV license fee comes amid declining advertising revenue, heightened competition from streaming platforms, and the aftermath of a temporary move to collect the fee separately. Currently, KBS' TV license fee is bundled with electricity bills. Last year, it was briefly collected separately from the electricity bills, but the system was reinstated after legislative review. KBS argued that separate billing led to lower collection rates and imposed considerable administrative costs on the broadcaster. KBS anticipates a near 100 billion won deficit this year alone. 'Without adjusting the license fee to a realistic level, it will be impossible to avoid a large-scale deficit — an outcome that would inevitably lead to financial instability for the public broadcaster," said a KBS official, via a press statement. According to the state broadcaster, KBS will gather public opinion before moving forward. Under Article 65 of the Broadcasting Act, any fee adjustment requires approval of the KBS board, Korea Communications Commission and the National Assembly. KBS's current push to raise its TV license fee comes after a failed 2021 attempt to increase the rate by 53 percent, from 2,500 won to 3,840 won. The proposal was ultimately blocked in the National Assembly, which was then controlled by the Democratic Party of Korea. The amount proposed for this year's hike has yet to be disclosed.
Hamilton Spectator
21-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Don't regulate us like radio, music streamer Spotify tells CRTC
OTTAWA - Music streamer Spotify says Canada's federal broadcast regulator shouldn't impose rules meant for radio on streaming services. Appearing before a CRTC hearing Friday, company representatives compared regulating Spotify like a radio station to treating Uber like a horse and buggy operation. 'To apply yesterday's tools to today's platforms risks dulling Canada's success on the global music stage,' said Xenia Manning, Spotify's director of global music policy. 'It is essential to assess whether a real problem exists that justifies regulatory intervention. In our view, the evidence is clear. There is no market failure in audio streaming that would warrant intervention by the CRTC.' In its written submission, Spotify argued the CRTC doesn't have the jurisdiction to extend rules governing commercial negotiations and disputes in the broadcast sector to online players. Spotify said the Broadcasting Act doesn't give the CRTC the authority to 'regulate the terms of trade between online undertakings, including good faith negotiations and commercial disputes.' It said the CRTC's proposals 'would see it imposing dispute resolution and commercial negotiation requirements on online undertakings that are plainly outside the scope of broadcasting.' The CRTC is holding a hearing on market dynamics as part of its work to implement the Online Streaming Act, which updated broadcasting laws to capture online platforms. During the hearing, large telecom and broadcasting companies like Bell and Rogers called on the CRTC to loosen existing rules for traditional players. They took aim at regulations governing how cable channels must be packaged and disputes about carriage of cable channels. Bell, which appeared Wednesday, asked the CRTC to get rid of the rule the regulator implemented nearly a decade ago requiring companies to offer a $25 basic cable package. In its opening statement Friday, Rogers asked the CRTC to dramatically reduce regulation of cable companies. Colette Watson, president of Rogers' media division, said less than half of Canadian households now subscribe to cable, satellite or IPTV service. 'Canadian ownership groups cannot survive another decade of disproportionate regulation,' she said. The CRTC is holding a series of hearings as part of its work under the Online Streaming Act. Spotify, along with Amazon and Apple, is fighting in court an earlier order requiring streamers to make CRTC-ordered financial contributions to Canadian content and news. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.
Vancouver Sun
21-06-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Music streamer Spotify tells CRTC not to regulate it like radio
OTTAWA — Music streamer Spotify says Canada's federal broadcast regulator shouldn't impose rules meant for radio on streaming services. Appearing before a CRTC hearing Friday, company representatives compared regulating Spotify like a radio station to treating Uber like a horse and buggy operation. 'To apply yesterday's tools to today's platforms risks dulling Canada's success on the global music stage,' said Xenia Manning, Spotify's director of global music policy. 'It is essential to assess whether a real problem exists that justifies regulatory intervention. In our view, the evidence is clear. There is no market failure in audio streaming that would warrant intervention by the CRTC.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. In its written submission, Spotify argued the CRTC doesn't have the jurisdiction to extend rules governing commercial negotiations and disputes in the broadcast sector to online players. Spotify said the Broadcasting Act doesn't give the CRTC the authority to 'regulate the terms of trade between online undertakings, including good faith negotiations and commercial disputes.' It said the CRTC's proposals 'would see it imposing dispute resolution and commercial negotiation requirements on online undertakings that are plainly outside the scope of broadcasting.' The CRTC is holding a hearing on market dynamics as part of its work to implement the Online Streaming Act, which updated broadcasting laws to capture online platforms. During the hearing, large telecom and broadcasting companies like Bell and Rogers called on the CRTC to loosen existing rules for traditional players. They took aim at regulations governing how cable channels must be packaged and disputes about carriage of cable channels. Bell, which appeared Wednesday, asked the CRTC to get rid of the rule the regulator implemented nearly a decade ago requiring companies to offer a $25 basic cable package. In its opening statement Friday, Rogers asked the CRTC to dramatically reduce regulation of cable companies. Colette Watson, president of Rogers' media division, said less than half of Canadian households now subscribe to cable, satellite or IPTV service. 'Canadian ownership groups cannot survive another decade of disproportionate regulation,' she said. The CRTC is holding a series of hearings as part of its work under the Online Streaming Act. Spotify, along with Amazon and Apple, is fighting in court an earlier order requiring streamers to make CRTC-ordered financial contributions to Canadian content and news. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
