OTTAWA – The CRTC has turned down a request from Rogers Communications to shift its licenses for its cable business, on-demand business and Sportsnet service to Mountain Cablevision as part of a corporate reorganization.
Rogers acquired Hamilton Ontario-based Mountain Cablevision from Shaw earlier this year. In an application to the CRTC, Rogers requested the issuance of broadcasting licences to Mountain under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the current licences and authorization for Rogers Communications Partnership (RCP) to continue operating its broadcasting distribution, video-on-demand, and pay-per-view undertakings. Rogers explained its request was for “corporate planning purposes”.
The Commission said Thursday that it was concerned that the proposal to separate the broadcasting assets from the licences and to grant operational control of the undertakings to an entity that is not the licensee for an indeterminate period of time would set an inappropriate precedent that would adversely impact its ability to supervise and regulate the broadcasting system in accordance with its mandate, including ensuring the proper application of orders from the Governor in Council, such as the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility of Non-Canadians) and the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility to Hold Broadcasting Licences).
