CBRA Media Monitoring Tariff

Summary#

The Canada Gazette published the CBRA Commercial Media Monitoring Tariff (2027-2029) on May 30, 2026. It sets rules and fees for companies that record, reproduce or sell clips, transcripts or summaries of broadcaster content represented by the CBRA.

What it does#

• Defines who and what the tariff covers (terms like monitor, CBRA program, CBRA item).
• Allows a monitor to reproduce up to two excerpts of up to 10 minutes each from any CBRA program, with limited exceptions where up to 10% of items may exceed those limits.
• Lets monitors sell or rent those excerpts, monitoring notes, summary notes and transcripts to customers that meet the tariff conditions.
• Sets technical and access rules for database or emailed clips:
  • video attachments limited to 320 pixels by 240 pixels and 15 frames per second;
  • clips in a password‑protected database must be removed no later than 10 days after broadcast;
  • some database access restricted to customers who have been clients for at least three months and are public relations or communications units, unless the CBRA gives written consent.
• Requires destruction or retention of materials:
  • most items destroyed within 31 days of broadcast;
  • transcripts kept no longer than 12 months unless a broadcaster authorizes longer retention;
  • monitoring and summary notes may be kept indefinitely.
• Charges royalties of 14% of a monitor’s CBRA‑related gross income, calculated monthly (based on the second month before the payment month) and payable by the first day of the month.
• Provides a small‑business option for monitors with total media monitoring revenues under $100,000 that must file a signed statement by January 31 and follow simplified quarterly payments and reporting rules.
• Requires record keeping for six years and allows audits. It also sets confidentiality, notice, indemnity and default rules.
• Interest on late payments is charged daily at 1% above the Bank Rate (as published by the Bank of Canada); interest does not compound.

Who's affected#

• Media monitoring companies and services (referred to in the tariff as monitors) that record, sell or provide clips, transcripts or summaries from broadcasters represented by the CBRA.
• Broadcasters represented by the CBRA, since the tariff governs how their copyrighted program elements may be used by monitors.
• Customers of monitoring services — mainly businesses, public sector organizations, and public relations or communications departments — because the tariff limits who can receive items and how they may use them.
• Small monitoring operations that earn less than $100,000 in media monitoring revenues (they have a different reporting/payment path).
• It is not clear from this notice whether the tariff is already in force or whether further steps apply. The Gazette published the tariff text, but the item does not state an explicit effective date.

Why it matters#

• Cost and pricing: monitors must pay a 14% royalty on related revenue. That can raise the price of monitoring services or change what services are offered.
• Service limits: tight rules on clip length, technical quality (320×240, 15 fps), database retention (10 days) and customer use mean some monitoring products common today may need to change.
• Compliance burden: monitors face record‑keeping for six years, audits, and strict customer agreements. Smaller firms must track revenues to qualify for the $100,000 exemption and file by January 31.
• For PR and communications teams, the tariff restricts reuse of clips outside internal, non‑commercial purposes. That affects how organizations share or repurpose broadcaster content.