Not-for-profit media company Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) filed a Part 1 application with the CRTC late last month requesting that the regulator hike the rate broadcasters pay to carry its programming temporarily until the next licence renewal period in August 2026.
Broadcasters are required to carry English-language AMI’s AMI-tv and French-language AMI-tele programs, which are funded by the fees AMI is paid for that mandatory carriage under the Broadcasting Act’s 9(1)(h) rule. AMI says an overwhelming majority of the revenue of its services come from these BDU subscription fees.
However, because the cost of doing business has gone up due to inflation and as more Canadians are abandoning their television services, AMI said in its application that it cannot sustain its operations until the next renewal period – even after it restructured its business.
It is, therefore, asking for a “modest” 1 cent and 2 cent increases per subscriber per month for AMI-tv and AMI-tele, respectively until that August 2026. The current rate is 20 cents for AMI-tv and 28 cents for AMI-tele.
It said this will not have a material impact on any broadcaster carrying the programs.
“We expect these rate increases to generate approximately $1.33 million and $1.29 million, respectively, in the two years leading up to the licence renewal for the AMI Services,” AMI’s application said. “This increase will not have a material impact on any BDU. Moreover, AMI will commit that all additional revenues will be invested in original, Canadian programming produced by and for Canada’s disabled community.”
AMI said its annual revenues have declined by more than $2 million yearly over what they were five years ago. It said the regulated carry rate has not increased since its services were authorized to be carried.
“Had the rates for the services kept pace with inflation, in 2023 dollars the rate for AMI-tv should be $0.28 per month per subscriber and $0.36 for AMI-télé.6 Moreover, the current rates are fixed and do not increase as volume declines,” the application said.
The company notes the regulator had previously approved increases in the carriage rate of programs including Canal M, APTN, and CPAC. The CRTC justified the increased by citing ongoing BDU subscriber declines.
AMI showcases programming dedicated to Canada’s disability community, which includes eight million people aged 15 and older.
The regulator denied last year an application by Bell, Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel to index to inflation and raise the price from $25 to $28 for the basic television package that includes mandatory carriage programs.
