News about media and the regulatory environment both inside and beyond Canada's borders.

In the News

Ottawa’s cellphone spies: A months-long CBC News/Radio-Canada investigation has revealed that someone is using devices that track and spy on cell phones in the area around Parliament Hill. The devices have been used by Canadian police and security authorities, foreign intelligence and even organized crime.

NAFTA negotiations could put culture on the table: The leak of the draft notice from the Trump Administration on the trade renegotiation, which identifies at least 40 issues, will serve as the starting point for discussions once talks begin, Michael Geist writes.

With US retreat from online privacy, Canada needs to safeguard the Internet in NAFTA talks: US trade negotiators are likely to target two Internet-related privacy measures: data localization and data transfers

James Cridland’s latest Future of Radio newsletter is out and here are some of the things of interest to be found in it:

• Is Beats 1 really “the biggest radio station in the world”? I've done my research into Apple's claim.

• Want ten award-winning podcasts to listen to? From the Cast Away awards this weekend: Australia's best podcasts

The United States of America

• A recent "Daily" podcast from the NYT - do listen to the story about Canadians helping Syrians. Tear-jerking.

• One Nation, Under Fox: 18 Hours With a Network That Shapes America - lovely long piece from the New York Times

• The Podcasting Market Earns Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Because It’s Working - some nice finance data around the podcast business

• A friend wants radio to use electronic measurement? Show her this...

Australia

• Want ten award-winning podcasts to listen to? From the Cast Away awards this weekend: Australia's best podcasts

• Aussie radio is getting dirty - allegations of dirty tricks from Kyle (and also a masterstroke in getting publicity)

• Australia’s public broadcaster is using Apple News push alerts to reach new, younger audiences

Elsewhere

• Germany: SoundCloud takes out another $70m loan. There's a chart in here showing the company's finances. Not good.

• Canada: another example of why radio is an incredibly emotional, valued medium

• Canada: Two folks on YouTube try to use voice commands on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A good, funny watch.

-- Subscribe to James’ newsletter here.

Are Google, Facebook, And Amazon Monopolies Too Big to Tackle? It’s been a rough patch for the big tech companies that built their near-boundless riches on the content and conversations of billions of users – David Bloom, Tubefilter

What is The Future of Digital for Radio? Is there any digital revenue for radio and how savvy are the clients? Radio Ink put that questions to Steve Meyers who was just promoted to Executive VP of Digital at Beasley.

$2.6B Worth Of US Radio Deals In Q1: That's according to the latest data from Kagan and due mostly to the Entercom/CBS merger which was announced in February. The Entercom/CBS Radio Reverse Morris Trust tax-free transaction is valued at $2.86B. Kagan says at a 7X forward seller’s multiple, the 29 AM and 88 FM stations account for $2.5B, making this the largest radio transaction since 2006.

Radio Gets The Hammer: Arm & Hammer comes from nowhere and enters the Media Monitors weekly chart at number five after airing 27,838 commercials on US radio stations last week. The big question is will the company now become a consistent radio advertiser?

RIP

Neil Macrae, the controversial and cranky voice of sports for 40 years on Vancouver radio, most of it with CKNW and Rock 101, has died of cancer at the age of 65. CKNW reports that Macrae died Thursday at his home in Palm Springs, California.

Worth Noting

Updating Cancon rules for Internet age comes with political baggage: As the Liberals figure out their modernization, one big issue is whether the broadcasting and telecommunications acts should be merged, since these days our phones can hardly be distinguished from our TVs. Philosophically, it would be a tough marriage – Kate Taylor, Globe & Mail

Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai move ads from Fox News’ ‘O’Reilly Factor’ following sexual-harassment charges – Variety

The Beeb secures Glastonbury broadcast rights through 2020 -- Variety

HMV’s marketing boss on bringing the brand back from the brink: Just four years ago, HMV was forced into administration. But after cutting down its store estate and refocusing the brand it is now more confident about the future – Thomas Hobbs, Marketing Week

Verizon is mashing Yahoo and AOL into a newco called Oath – Nick Statt, The Verge

Trump completes repeal of Obama era online privacy protection: The change will allow broadband internet service suppliers, such as cable and telecommunications companies, to track and sell a customer’s online information with greater ease – NYT

Celebrities turn to chatbots to communicate with fans through Facebook Messenger – Ben Sisario, NYT