Take-Home Final Exam Due: April 4, 9:00 p.m. Instructions: Answer One question from each of the three sections. Each answer should be about 800 - 1000 words in length. Please format your answers into a single word processor document, with text double spaced, and upload it to the moodle site by the due date. Make sure that you refer to at least two of the readings from the syllabus, and at least two academic sources (which does not include news stories), in each of your answers. You may draw on other sources, and provide citations, if you find it helpful, but this is not required. Course readings may be cited with a parenthetical page number reference; if no other sources are cited, a bibliography is not necessary. Other sources should be cited with full bibliographic citations.Each question will be weighted equally.Section A: Broadcasting Policy1) The policy of ‘simultaneous substitution’ has been in place for a long time in Canada. What is it intended to accomplish, and how does it attempt to achieve its goal? Why has it recently been changed, and will those changes be helpful to the Canadian culture industry or not?2) The transition from analog to digital technologies has affected the Canadian broadcasting industry in many ways, and governments have had to adapt the policies in place as a result. What are the most important challenges that our industry faces in the digital world? How has government policy attempting to help the industry overcome these challenges, and are they likely to succeed?3) So-called ‘Over the Top’ video streaming services are very popular, but they are often seen as a threat to the broadcasting industry in Canada. Explain the reasons that they are seen as a threat. Should Heritage Canada attempt to devise policies to help the industry deal with the threat? What kind of options do governments have for this task?
Section B: Telecommunications Policy4) In recent years, a fourth wireless network operator has been created in Canada with Shaw’s purchase of the Wind Mobile network. Under the Freedom brand, this carrier operates in multiple regions of the country and has expressed intentions to provide services on a national basis. Does this mean that the federal government’s policies in recent years have succeeded? Is it likely to solve the most important problems that have been identified in the wireless communications industry? 2 / 25) The CRTC has prohibited the practice known as ‘zero rating’ by mobile phone providers. Explain what zero rating is, the reason for this prohibition, and the reasons that others see the prohibition as problematic.6) In this year’s budget, the federal government announced a large amount of funding to help extend internet infrastructure to all Canadians. Will this program be likely to solve the problem of significant numbers of people being excluded from the benefits of the internet? What are the limits of the effectiveness of this proposal?
Section C: Other Policy Questions7) Some see the kinds of technological changes associated with the internet and digital communications technologies as creating a crisis in the Canadian media. Others see technological change as inevitable, and expect the market to ensure that efficient and profitable means of communication to succeed. Which of these approaches makes more sense, and why? Do these technological changes give us reason to insist on a radical change to the overall framework of policy? Or is the government’s existing approach able to solve the problems?
8) On the whole, is communications policy in Canada sufficiently democratic? In other words, does the way the government regulate the communications industry reflect the needs, and protect the interests of, all Canadians? Or does it serve the interests of some at the expense of others? Provide reasons for your conclusions.
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