Consumer, public interest groups ask CRTC to veto Bell/Astral merger

OTTAWA – Bell Canada’s proposed acquisition of Astral Media will not benefit consumers, and will most likely lead to higher prices for television service subscriptions, say four Canadian consumer and public interest groups in comments filed with the CRTC. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), who also acts as counsel for Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC), Canada Without Poverty (CWP), and Council of Senior Citizens’ Organization of British Columbia (COSCO) submitted a joint filing listing several concerns about the deal. Those issues include the impact of the proposed transaction on the diversity of voices in the Canadian broadcasting system; increasing...