MONTREAL – Astral Media urged the government to proceed with “caution” before amending any broadcast industry regulations, and encouraged a thorough examination of “the broader matrix of rules that serve to produce a carefully regulated balance between the various sectors of the industry”.
"The Canadian television industry has developed because of a careful balance in benefits, rights and obligations," said André Bureau, Astral’s chairman of the board, in a company statement. "It may well be that we have reached a point where a rethink is required. However, it has taken 40 years to establish this balance and we should be careful to assure that any changes that are made do not have unintended consequences."
In its appearance before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on Monday, Astral underlined the importance of the specialty/pay sector as a key contributor to Canadian programming, noting the sector invested $1.1 billion in Canadian programming in fiscal 2008.
It also voiced its concern that fee-for-carriage, if granted, not be left to the discretion of the BDUs to decide how to source the funds.
Referring to its relationship with Quebecor as an example, Astral said that the Quebec media giant has “repeatedly indicated” that if they were to negotiate such a fee, that it would be deducted from what is paid to specialty services as part of a "so-called re-calibration of the system”. In Quebecor’s case, Astral continued, this "negotiation would allow them to redirect the fees to benefit their own service.”
