OTTAWA – Shaw Communications’ DTH company Star Choice must distribute French news channel Le Réseau de l’information (RDI) to all digital subscribers living in Anglophone markets as part of its digital basic service, the CRTC has ruled.
The CBC filed a complaint with the Commission in May, alleging that Star Choice refused to offer RDI as part of its ‘English Essentials’ basic service package in Anglophone markets, despite “repeated efforts” on its part to secure carriage. The CBC argued that this is contrary to objectives in the Commission’s Distribution Order 2007-3, set out as appendix 4 to Broadcasting Decision 2007-246 (where RDI must be distributed in Anglophone markets, just like CBC Newsworld in Francophone markets), and undermines the ability of RDI to fulfill its mandate.
Star Choice replied that it is in compliance with the Order because it includes RDI in two of its basic service packages – ‘Essentiels en Français’ and ‘Essentiels Bilingue’ – which are available to all Anglophone markets. It further explained that, as a national, digital service, “it has the technical ability to design different basic services”, that their basic packages comply with the regulations, and “respond to the need to focus on consumers and deliver the value” that their customers expect.
The Commission disagreed with Star Choice, saying that they must ensure that RDI is distributed, not just offered, to all subscribers living in Anglophone markets, and not just those who subscribe to one of the basic service packages that it is currently in.
The decision, announced Tuesday, directed Star Choice to come into compliance within 10 days.
