CAMPBELL RIVER, B.C. – At their regular monthly meeting held on Monday, the board of directors of cable co-operative Campbell River Television met with representatives of Shaw Cable concerning the big MSO’s continuing interest in the potential acquisition of CRTV.
Shaw Cable announced just last week that it had received the go-ahead by the CRTC to overbuild in CRTV’s cable territory, if it wishes. Such a move would certainly devalue CRTV’s sale prospects.
In a press release to its 13,000 customers/members the board wrote that in “light of the fact of increased competition in Campbell River plus the reality that small ‘Class 1’ Cable TV systems have all but disappeared across Canada it is prudent for the board to consider all options available to CRTV. Factors that the Board are taking into consideration include:
* Shaw Cable has been given permission to move into Campbell River by installing their own cable system to compete with CRTV. Recently ACI (Aurora Cable Internet) a Cable TV system of similar size to CRTV in southern Ontario was sold to Rogers Cable after an over-wire application was approved by the CRTC.
* That small independent Cable TV systems in Canada now represent less than 3.5% of the total Cable and Satellite customers in Canada. The cost of sale for programming, materials and labor are considerably higher than the competition.
* That CRTV purchases all of it’s television programming and internet backbone services from its competitors.
“The Board has a moral and legal responsibility to the membership of CRTV to consider all reasonable options that become available to the Association. When the Board has a full understanding of Shaw’s expression of interest in acquiring CRTV, the information will be provided to the members who will then be able to make the decisions that will determine CRTV’s future,” said CRTV president John Kerr.
“Members should be fully aware that the discussion was very preliminary. The Board is considering the proposal and will make a more formal announcement in the future.”
