OTTAWA – The CRTC has turned down a request by Bell Media seeking to convert eight of its specialty channels from Category A services into Category B services.
In its decision on Monday, the Commission reiterated that it had set out a specific timeline for the implementation of policy changes resulting from its Let’s Talk TV proceeding, and said that Bell failed to provide evidence as to how the broadcasting system would benefit by making an exception to that timeline.
As Cartt.ca reported, Bell filed Part 1 applications posted last July to change Bravo, The Comedy Network, Discovery Channel, E!, MTV Canada, M3, Much and Space from Category A services to Category B. At that time, Bell claimed that its applications would resolve the regulatory imbalance between Category A and B services that was created due to the elimination of genre exclusivity.
The CRTC flatly rejected that argument.
“Bell’s Category A services have strong brands and large audiences, due, at least in part, to their mandatory distribution. It appears that Bell does not consider Category A status necessary to ensure favourable distribution of these services”, the Commission wrote. “Bell has not, however, asked to relinquish access privileges (and reduce the exhibition requirements) for all of its Category A services. This is at odds with Bell’s argument that its applications are an attempt to gain regulatory parity between Category A and B services. This suggests that the applications may be an attempt to better position Bell’s most popular specialty services as soon as possible. Therefore, converting the eight Category A services into Category B services and reducing their regulatory obligations at this time could confer upon Bell an advantage over other Category B services.”
Bell will have to wait to make these changes until its broadcast licences for these services come up for renewal on August 31, 2017.
