9(1)(h) Hearing: TV producers say basic service price increases a red herring

By Perry Hoffman

GATINEAU - That broadcast distributors would increase the price of basic packages if the CRTC licensed new 9(1)(h) services is a red herring, according the Canadian Media Production Association (CPMA) told commissioners on Tuesday. “We believe that the impact of 9(1)(h) services on ‘affordability’ is a red herring that threatens to overshadow the achievement of more significant objectives under the Act,” Michael Hennessy, president and CEO of the CMPA, said during his opening remarks. The association acknowledges that licensing additional services with mandatory carriage orders may trigger basic package rate increases, but it says this isn’t the sole reason broadcast...