New technologies and cultural policies : Nouvelles technologies et politiques culturelles : le secteur de l'audiovisuel

While a significant part of the GR Strategies report focuses on the regulatory aspects of the traditional television industry, this document outlines the developments and issues that have an impact on the larger audio-visual sector and its chief manifestations on the new digital media. [...] While the video recorder (the ultimate symbol of the domestication and personalization of television programming) slowly fades away, there is no shortage of the pretenders to the title: Personal Video Recorders (PVRs), TV on-Demand, iPod video, laptops, handheld computers and cell phones are a few of the devices behind the fragmentation of the audio-visual space. [...] Course of action #1: Given that advertising revenues are migrating to the Web, what kinds of tax provisions can the federal and provincial governments establish to a) foster the production of content for the Internet and, b) reduce the appeal of shifting advertising funds to the Web? [...] A number of manufacturers are already onboard to link the household television to the Internet and thus increase to the nth degree the range of content available in the living room. [...] Course of action #3: Considering that the Canadian government is preparing to grant new telephony licenses, and the cable companies have expressed considerable interest in submitting applications, and in the context of encouraging the development and consumption of Canadian services and products distributed over the new digital platforms, what are the most appropriate measures to implement in orde