There are some
interesting discussion seeds in a post on TechPresident reflecting a recent session on journalism in a time of increasingly open government data.
Some thought-leaders (Jeff Jarvis, Tim O'Reilly, for instance) suggest the "let's get them" era is subsiding and that journalism will have to be more collaborative with government to distribute data. At the very least, some different thinking needs to emerge.
It won't be a matter of pulling punches but having more than punches in the arsenal, they suggest.
"I think we're at an inflection point where we're moving away from this model of advocacy which is about making people wrong and catching people out and moving to a model of advocacy that's about what we want to build together," O'Reilly told writer Nick Judd.
"Figuring out how to change that dynamic, but retain credibility and usefulness as government watchdogs, may be the first step towards changing this system," Judd writes. If mainstream media are part of the problem, then they are obviously in this case part of the solution.The Conservative government has introduced amendments to copyright legislation that balance consumer and creator interests but clearly side with industries most affected by free downloading.
Being caught with an illegal download would result in a $500 fine (although being caught sharing those files is another matter, and could propel some interesting cases). While it will be legal to time-shift content with PVRs, it would be illegal to use circumventing devices to skirt broadcasters who flag programming to avoid time-shifting. And, notably, there are no provision forcing ISPs to take down or block illegal material.
Now, the legislation is simply in the introductory stage. It has to be reviewed by a House of Commons committee and then given third and final reading, before going to the Senate for review. With an election looming, it is questionable if this bill will get that far in time for an election, or if there will be another wave of legislation after one.
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