CRTC Under Heat for C-18 Policy

Canadian news publishers have joined voices to urge the CRTC to provide further regulation regarding the subsidies that will be created from the Online News Act.  Trade associations and publishers representing hundreds of organizations came together to call for consistency and fairness in bill C-18. "With $100 million annually at stake, news publishers want to ensure that maximum amount flows to newsrooms to maintain and grow journalism jobs in local communities across Canada." said Maria Saras-Voutsinas, executive director at Media Council Canada. 

The group specifically takes exception with the role given to the Single Collective to distribute funds created by bill C-18. The Single Collective represents approximately 2-percent of journalists in Canada. The coalition of publishers has asked that administrative fees for the Single Collective be capped and the administrative group not be permitted to earn interest off the subsidies from the bill. They are also calling for enhanced transparency and scrutiny on payments being made to news businesses. 

Read the full statement here: https://tinyurl.com/29hvshyp