Bell/Astral II: Competitors say merged company will be too big, is already abusing its power

By Steve Faguy

GATINEAU - There's no Say No To Bell campaign this time around, but most of Bell's major competitors have again told the CRTC they are strongly against the takeover of Astral Media by BCE, even with the new promises to divest English-language TV assets. Quebecor, Rogers and Telus all said they were against the deal in submissions sent to the Commission on Friday, the deadline for interventions in the new application for change of ownership. Quebecor Media, which owns the Vidéotron cable provider and broadcaster TVA, "asks the Commission to categorically refuse the approval of the revised application," saying it...