GATINEAU – This particular decision has been rumoured to be near for months, but it appears the CRTC will officially say whether or not international news channel Al-Jazeera English can be added to list of eligible satellite services for distribution by Canadian cable, satellite and telco TV carriers.
It’s expected the Commission will approve the addition of the channel, which is owned by the Emir of Qatar and is available around the world, when it makes its announcement sometime this week.
Because Al-Jazeera’s Arabic language channel has in the past aired a number of people who espoused virulent anti-Semitic views on air, a number of Canadian Jewish groups have expressed reservations about having the channel available here.
But, as Ontario regional CRTC commissioner Rita Cugini said in a speech this summer, as reported by Cartt.ca: “among the submissions we received was one from B’nai Brith Canada, whose representatives had met with Tony Burman, managing director of Al Jazeera English (and former head of CBC News). They expressed to him their concern over the possible content of the applicant’s broadcasts, and they negotiated with him the launch of an inaugural Consultative Committee. Through that committee B’nai Brith and the Canadian Jewish Congress would monitor that broadcasting content.”
Burman made a pitch for his channel in Toronto back in February.
The Commission has already approved the carriage of the Arabic channel, but with onerous conditions that would force any carrier to employ a team of Arabic-speaking censors 24/7.
Watch Cartt.ca for more on this later in the week.
