COMMENTARY: Commission can't let OTT dominate vertical integration hearing

By Paul Temple

WE DON’T WANT TO SUGGEST that over-the-top programming services aren’t a potential threat to the Canadian broadcasting system or that the matter shouldn’t be taken seriously.Pelmorex is a passionate proponent of a strong Canadian system. We believe it is appropriate for the Commission to look into the matter and it is doing exactly that with its Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2011-344 (with a deadline extension now).But, (and there always is a “but’, isn’t there), as OTT becomes the “issue du jour”, caution must be taken to ensure that the OTT threat is not to be used as yet another...