Is the mobile television exemption a back-door retrans consent?

OTTAWA – That's the question the legal eagles at Telus are wrestling with this week. Last week's mobile TV exemption order made it clear that wireless carriers are not to offer any TV channels – including conventional broadcasters – on its mobile television lineups, without the broadcasters' prior permission.This worries Telus vice-president, wireless, broadband and content policy, Michael Hennessy. "They've essentially given a retransmission consent right to over-the-air broadcasters, which lies at the heart of the over-the-air hearing" held last November, he told Cartt.ca this week. Retransmission consent has been consistently fought by distributors such as cable, satellite and telco...