OTTAWA – The CBC has asked the CRTC to delay proceedings on a proposed regulatory framework for video-on-demand (VOD) undertakings.
The Commission issued a call for comments in October, seeking to clarify the expected role and contributions of VOD services to the Canadian broadcasting system. Comments were to be due by January 29, 2009.
But the CBC has requested delaying this process for at least a year, citing other regulatory proceedings occurring in the same time frame, and noting that this proceeding deals with the issue of advertising at a time when "the advertising market for all broadcasters, including CBC/SRC, has become very challenging."
Comments on the CBC’s request are due by January 2, 2009.
In related news, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) and the CBC have both asked the Commission to delay proceedings on a proposed framework for the sale of commercial advertising in the local availabilities of non-Canadian services, including new forms of advertising that utilize the potential of digital platforms.
In support of its request, the CAB cited “other (CRTC) proceedings and related deadlines, the present state of the economy, and the current lack of credible information on which the Commission could rely." The CAB also noted that “there is a lack of information respecting new forms of advertising”.
Comments on this request are also due to the CRTC by January 2, 2009.
