Access asks to opt out of LPIF payments

OTTAWA – Regina-based Access Communications Co-operative has told the CRTC that it no longer wishes to pay into the country’s Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF).Canada’s cable and satellite companies must contribute 1.5% of their gross broadcasting-related revenues per year to the fund, which can then be accessed by broadcasters serving markets with less than 1 million people to help fund local programming.In an application made public earlier this week, Access asked the Commission to amend its BDU licence to relieve it from its LPIF contributions, citing its “unique corporate structure” as compared to other BDUs (Access is a community-owned not-for-profit cooperative with approximately...