(Via CNW): The CRTC is celebrating National Canadian Film Day (though maybe that’s just a coincidence) by publishing its Three-Year Plan, “setting out the key activities it intends to undertake from 2015 to 2018”, according to a press release.
Coming soon after the CRTC announced some mandatory changes for the cable industry, leading to a debate on whether they would actually help anyone, plus a clash with Bell Media, what does the plan mean for ordinary viewers?
In the Commission’s own words:
- the introduction of the revised framework established with the Let’s Talk TV initiative, which includes the development of a draft code to help consumers make informed choices about their TV service providers and to make the service agreements easier to understand
- the review of basic telecommunications services to ensure that Canadians have access to world-class telecommunications services that will allow them to participate actively in the digital economy
- an assessment of the accessibility of mobile wireless handsets for Canadians with disabilities
- a review of the reliability of the 9-1-1 network in Canada and of the next generation of 9-1-1 services
- continued joint efforts between the CRTC and its partners, both in Canada and abroad, to protect Canadians from unsolicited communications by telephone and by email, and
- the continued implementation of the Voter Contact Registry.
Public consultations and hearings on the issues will be held this year, and all Canadians are invited to take part in them — dates for them are on the CRTC site.
The plan itself is available here and you can find a (five-minute!) participation guide here.