By Ahmad Hathout
TORONTO – Corus CEO Doug Murphy reiterated Thursday the need for the CRTC to take immediate action on lessening Canadian content requirements ahead of the implementation of a new Broadcasting Act policy to force foreign streamers to contribute to those requirements.
Praising the death of the old Broadcasting Act and the introduction of three consultations on the implementation of the Online Streaming Act, Murphy said the CRTC needs to set its sights on the now as broadcasters are being squeezed financially.
“We continue to urge the regulator through those consultations and other forums to revisit the obligations on Canadian…
Continue Reading
By Konrad von Finckenstein, former chair of the CRTC
The passage of C-18 seems certain to lead to a confrontation, lengthy litigation and probable impasse between Google and Meta on one side and the federal government on the other.
One way to resolve the issue might be to borrow a page from Australia. That country enacted an Act similar to C-18, the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code Act 2021, but it only applies to companies designated by the minister. While its Act is in force, no such designation was ever made as the industry and…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Bell has joined other broadcasters in requesting amendments to its Canadian content spending obligations at least until the next licence renewal period.
In a Part 1 filed this month, the broadcaster said it is seeking a reduction to its Canadian programming expenditures (CPE) from 30 per cent of previous year’s revenues to 20 per cent, a reduction from 7.5 per cent to 5 per cent of revenues for programs of national interest (PNI), and an expansion of the PNI categories to reality television, music and general entertainment in exchange for increasing their obligation from 75 per…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The Competition Bureau said in a submission to the CRTC studying the wholesale internet framework Thursday that mandating last mile fibre could have short-term price benefits but may also negatively impact investments in fibre builds.
The CRTC is seeking comments on a preliminary view it holds that third parties should have mandated access to the incumbent’s last mile fibre under the current aggregated regime, which packages the leasing of the traffic transport (middle) mile and the last mile. Under the current aggregated regime, third parties don’t have commission backing for access to the fibre going straight…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC said SiriusXM cannot defer its obligations to funds supporting Canadian content from the 2021-2022 year because it hasn’t shown a financial need to do so.
The satellite and online radio service requested a deferral due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It proposed paying its shortfalls incrementally, with 50 per cent paid by August 2024 and other 50 per cent by August 2025.
But the CRTC said revenues have largely rebounded since the start of the pandemic. It also said SiriusXM, which is predominantly subscription-based, “enjoyed more stability in revenue” compared to the rest of the…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Quebecor announced Tuesday it will abandon its plan to cancel two weekend newscasts but will “carry out further staff reductions” in the alternative to weather deteriorating financial conditions to produce local news.
“We acknowledge the Commission’s request and suspend our decision to withdraw the weekend newscasts from TVA Quebec,” Quebecor said in a French-language letter addressed to the CRTC. “Thus, we will put in place the necessary efforts to continue to meet these requirements” until the CRTC rules on its Part 1 filed June 1.
The letter came in response to a CRTC letter last week expressing…
Continue Reading
TVA union asking CRTC to stop Quebecor from closing newscasts
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Bell said if Quebecor follows through on an announcement to end two newscasts without commission approval, the CRTC has no choice but to fine the company due to repeated violations of its conditions of licence, according to an intervention in the case.
On June 2, Quebecor’s TVA made the decision to this week end the two CFCM-DT weekend newscasts in Quebec, one day after it filed a Part 1 application asking the CRTC to remove that obligation due to financial constraints. The CRTC followed up with a…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Quebecor’s TVA told Cartt that it wishes to work in collaboration with the CRTC to find a way to sustain its local programming, after the commission expressed concern that the Montreal-based company is planning to scale back two of its news programs on weekends in Quebec.
The CRTC set a deadline of July 4 for comments on Quebecor’s Part 1 application requesting the commission remove a requirement that it run two newscast on weekends in Quebec. But a day after filing its application, Quebecor announced it intended to eliminate the programs this week…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – The CRTC is being asked to raise the financial threshold for registering online services with the commission and ensure transactional video services are made to contribute to the system when it implements the new Online Streaming Act.
The commission asked the public to submit comments by last week into two out of three consultations it is holding about the implementation of the new Broadcasting Act framework, including who should register with the CRTC for the purposes of collecting data and possibility requiring to contribute to the Canadian content system.
But some of the major broadcasting players are…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC on Thursday rejected an application by TerreStar to reduce its regulatory fee obligations by deducting its spectrum leasing revenues.
The Montreal-based mobile satellite and cell services provider filed an application in November asking the CRTC to make a determination that the sale or leasing of spectrum did not qualify as a telecommunications-related expense, which would have reduced its obligation to the National Contribution Fund. The NCF goes to fund broadband infrastructure in the country.
In March 2022, TerreStar filed its annual revenue report and deducted its spectrum leasing revenues. The CRTC said it couldn’t do that. So,…
Continue Reading
