Cultural industries brace for digital onslaught amid clashing views
OTTAWA — The federal government faces stark differences of opinion over how best to help Canada’s cultural industries adapt to cyberspace, says an academic watching the unfolding public consultations on the future of digital content.
The latest phase of those consultations, started Tuesday by Heritage Minister Melanie Joly, asks for suggestions on ways Ottawa can help create, promote and deliver digital content, including local news, at a time when Canadians have a wide array of foreign content at their fingertips.
While the minister wouldn’t say directly whether the end result will be more federal money for content producers, including local TV stations, she suggested that Canadians clearly favour government intervention to stimulate and promote cultural products in the digital world.
“We heard loud and clear the importance of local content as a (preference) of Canadians,” Joly said after meeting with her cabinet colleagues.