Media seeking real time election results (en francais)

Found this little item buried at he bottom of the page on Bourque. Sun media is now joining CBC, CTV, CHUM and the Canadian Press in seeking to have real time election results.

Media seeks real-time election results

By KEVIN CONNOR

TORONTO -- Sun Media has joined an application to suspend certain sections of the Election Act so that election results can be released real time on election day.

Currently, Ontario results can't be released on local television stations or on websites, such as ottawasun.com or canoe.ca, until B.C. polls have closed -- which happens three hours later than in Ontario because of the time difference.

It's also a violation of the law for websites in Ontario to post results from the Maritimes until the polls are closed here.

"The goal (of the application) is to be able to release online information relative to the (Ontario) audience without waiting for the polls to close in Vancouver," said Jose Leal, general manager of Canoe.

I think the media outlets are simply trying to reflect the reality of cyberspace today. As Captain's Quarters proved during the Gomery Inquiry, there is no way to prevent out-of-country blogs, websites and news organizations from reporting on results. One question unanswered, is it legal to link to an out-of-country location posting the results, from within Canada.

In elections past, the blackouts were easily enforced with radio, television and newspapers being the main source of communications. Websites, blogs, emails, Blackberries and all other forms of electronic communication have unleashed an electronic genie from the bottle. Can Elections Canada put the genie back in?

I suspect this election will test the bounds.

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