OTTAWA – Shaw Direct has received CRTC approval to modify its ‘skinny basic’ lineup of TV channels, specifically the local television stations that must be included.
The Commission said Monday that it accepts, with modifications, an application by Star Choice Television Network Incorporated for an exception to section 45.1 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations as it relates to its national DTH BDU Shaw Direct.
Star Choice submitted that the CRTC’s proposed basic service was too limiting for Shaw Direct and could not be achieved with its current system, noting that its infrastructure was never designed to deliver the multitude of distinct basic services that are required of terrestrial BDUs. It also said that it would require 24 months to replace its current billing system to offer basic service packages meeting the requirements of section 45.1.
Despite interventions from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and Bragg Communications Incorporated, carrying on business as Eastlink, the CRTC agreed.
“The Commission considers that the list of television stations that must be carried on Shaw Direct’s basic package, as revised above, represents a reasonable compromise between the policy objective of offering a small basic package and the costs and technical limitations associated with imposing requirements that are too restrictive”, reads the decision. “Moreover, the Commission considers it appropriate to allow Shaw Direct a reasonable period of time to implement the necessary technical and billing changes required to implement the additional packages for Ontario and Quebec.”
As part of this decision and in light of an objection raised by Eastlink, the CRTC also issued a call for comments on an amendment to the general authorizations applicable to terrestrial and DTH BDUs to allow CTV Two Atlantic to be included as part of the basic service to subscribers in the Atlantic provinces, as an exception to sections 16.1 and 45.1 of the Regulations.
Comments on that amendment are due by March 31, 2016.
