Like a plot from a ’50s sci-fi movie, satellites are taking control of Earth. Cyber cowboys are dueling to wield global communications’ power as we sleep.

Canada is the first country to rule on the controversial topic of Internet neutrality, according to the CRTC, although the debate rages on south of the border and around the globe (see story, p. 17).

If you haven’t seen Avatar, you haven’t seen 3D. And you may soon find yourself in the minority, judging by the number of people who have seen the film around the world. Since its Dec. 18 debut, when it opened in 103 territories on more than 13,000 screens, James Cameron’s epic had earned $1.6 billion worldwide (at press time) and is poised to surpass Cameron’s own Titanic as the highest-grossing international film. The film is making money faster than the media can keep pace.

Imax, Discovery and Sony plan to launch a 3D general entertainment TV channel that will broadcast 24/7 in the U.S. in 2011, according to the new partners. And ESPN has announced that it will establish a 3D channel by June 2010 to accommodate the World Cup. It also plans to cover a minimum of 85 live events in its first year.

For some Canadians, the days of free over-the-air TV signals are numbered.

Brace yourself for real-time iPhone broadcasting.

The National Film Board’s new co-operative agreement with Brazil’s Ministry of Culture is a bold step into the tumultuous zone of digital media.

Net Neutrality (aka Internet Neutrality; aka Network Neutrality):

More producers and broadcasters see the need to get into the interactive space, which is good news, but major private and public funders warn that their capacity to assist them is, as a result, becoming increasingly strained.