Canada broadcasters plot OTT defence
February 21, 2011
Canadian Broadcast industry groups have met in Ottawa to plan strategy for dealing with online content providers such as Netflix.
Cable companies, broadcasters and union representatives were all represented, said Norm Bolen, the president of the Canadian Media Production Association, which arranged the meeting. The session was about understanding the impact of online services “competing for content, competing for customers and the effects that might have on the Canadian system,” Bolen said.
One conclusion was the industry isn’t going to try to block access to the online services. “Nobody wants to do anything to alienate consumers. In terms of over-the-top services, clearly consumers are interested in them, they like them, and nobody’s going to deny them access to that. That would never fly,” he said.