By David Farrell
What Was Said
Statement by CRTC Chairperson Ian Scott, on the government’s policy direction
“Today (Tuesday 18th), we took note of the final text of the government’s policy direction, which requires that the CRTC consider how it can promote competition, affordability, consumer interests and innovation in its decisions on telecommunications matters.
“As we continue our work to ensure that Canadians have a choice of innovative and affordable telecommunications services, this policy direction will be applied to current and future telecommunications proceedings, including the review of mobile wireless services and other proceedings where final submissions have not yet been made.
“We will continue to engage with Canadians in innovative ways to ensure their views and needs are part of the public record of our proceedings that enable us to make decisions in the public interest.”
Report says Canada needs to regulate social media
An international report says Canada has taken “commendable” steps to safeguard this fall’s federal election from foreign interference.
But the report says this country needs to do more to regulate social media giants and should impose “major sanctions” on those that fail to control fake news and other forms of disinformation on their platforms. – Joan Bryden, The Canadian Press
Quebec Minister wants CRTC to fight for Canada’s culture in media
Digital platforms do practically what they want, whereas our traditional media must have very strict rules. We do not fight on equal terms anymore, and all revenues go on platforms. It is the culture that suffers because it is our culture in Quebec, the francophone culture is drying up, disappearing slowly, Quebec’s Minister of Culture Nathalie Roy argues. – Alain Laforest, TVA Nouvelles
Toronto’s G98.7-FM in financial peril, according to court records
The parent company of G98.7-FM was placed under investigative receivership earlier this month after Delford Blythe, the station’s former chief financial officer and a minority shareholder, told a judge for the Commercial List of Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice that the station is unable to pay its liabilities and is at risk of losing its broadcasting licence. He alleged that the station’s troubles stem from the financial mismanagement of Fitzroy Gordon, the station’s founder and president, who died on April 30. – Simon Houpt, The Globe and Mail (subscription)
Spotify now lets advertisers target podcast listeners
The new audience tool is available in the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Australia.
Spotify is focusing the tool in "select markets," where brands can reach users who listen to categories such as comedy, lifestyle and health, and business and technology. – Andrew Bluestein, The Drum
Facebook launching a digital currency system
Facebook has announced a digital currency called Libra that will allow its billions of users to make financial transactions across the globe, in a move that could potentially shake up the world’s banking system. – Kari Paul, The Guardian
Human rights commissions targeting Facebook
The Canadian and Ontario Human Rights Commissions have taken the exceptional step of joining forces to urge Facebook to stop Canadian employers from being able to post job ads that discriminate against some workers on the basis of age. It's the first step in a series of actions that could make its way to the Supreme Court of Canada. – Elizabeth Thompson, CBC News
News app offers FT, Economist and Bloomberg content under one paywall
Mogul News bills itself as offering access to “the world’s best journalism in one app”, bringing together news brands whose content is behind a paywall under one “simple and affordable” subscription of £9.99 per month. – Charlotte Tobitt, Press Gazette
