TORONTO – An informal coalition of independent Canadian specialty channels opposes the notion of distributors paying a subscription fee to carry over-the-air TV stations.
As reported last week by Cartt.ca, in its submission to the CRTC’s public process as part of its TV policy review, a group of eight specialty broadcasters said that paying sub fees to conventional broadcasters would “drastically” hurt the independents. Distributors would either pass the cost on to consumers, or reduce the fees it pays specialty networks, according to the document from the networks that are not affiliated with any distributor or large media company. (They are the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Asian Television Network International Limited, Channel Zero Inc., the Ethnic Channels Group Limited, S-VOX Trust, Stornoway Communications LLP, Fairchild Television/Talentvision and TV5 Quebec Canada.)
"Independent specialties operate on much smaller economies than established specialty broadcast groups or large conventional services," they write. "The business models of the independent specialties are … more fragile and more susceptible to negative repercussions when other elements of the broadcast system change."
While the commission will hold a hearing later next month on its television policy, it has announced plans to conduct a review of the pay and specialty sector in 2007. The group of eight asked the CRTC to defer any decision regarding changes to Canadian television policy until after that process has been completed.
