Protecting Journalistic Content

Today, CBC/Radio-Canada asked Facebook and YouTube to takedown a political ad that not only uses CBC's news footage but also re-edits it.

In recent years, social media and the ongoing technologyrevolution have led to some blurring of the necessary bright lines that mustexist between journalists on the one hand; and sponsors, advertisers, politicalparties and governments, on the other.

Leaders, listeners and viewers need to be confident that thepolitical coverage they enjoy is not in any manner framed by commercialconcerns or partisan interest.

That is why Canadian broadcast journalistic organizations -including CTV, CBC, Global and Rogers -- are so determined to limit the re-useof political coverage in paid advertising.  Our integrity as providers of serious,independent coverage of political parties and governments rests on this.

When a TV clip of an interview of a party leader, shows upin another party's advertising edited in a way that shifts the context of thefacts, this may cause viewer confusion and even suspicion about our journalism,and the intentions of journalists. It can damage our credibility, independenceand integrity as neutral participants.

At no time is it more important to insist on theseboundaries than in an election period.

With our fixed date elections today, campaigning beginsearlier and the formal writ period is no longer the boundary that it was. Sofor broadcasters, the pre-writ period is as sensitive as the formal campaignitself.

Our guiding principle is simple and clear:

No one - no individual candidate or political party, and nogovernment, corporation or NGO - may re-use our creative and copyrightedproperty without our permission. This includes our brands, our talent and ourcontent.

Canada's broadcasters will defend vigorously both theirproperty and their journalistic reputation from illicit use.