OTTAWA-GATINEAU – While the cable industry was fixated on the voice over Internet protocol decision yesterday, the CRTC issued another one at the same time which will affect a number of small cable operators carrying high definition programming.
In the decision, the Commission told Star Choice that it must, within 30 days, cease transmitting its so-called “omnibus” high definition channels it has been distributing to customers for some time. None of these channels were created with the consent of the broadcasters, who complained to the regulator.
Basically, Star Choice takes high definition programming it finds on CBS, ABC, Fox or PBS, mostly – along with some Canadian HD, and places it all in nine HD channels for customers. The practice limits the satellite transponder space the company has to use (thereby cutting costs) since, according to the regulations, it is supposed to repeat a broadcaster’s entire signal if they offer HD – even if the shows are the same as on the analog station.
However, since Star Choice/Cancom is the signal provider for many smaller cable systems in Canada, those independents offering HD will face the expense and annoyance of changing channel maps and packaging options, which will affect all of their HD (i.e. their best) customers.
Any cable company running a full HITS or HITS QT system will be affected.
“This decision definitely affects us because basically, we’re technologically married to exactly what they offer,” said Warren Ritchie, general manager of Norcom Communications, Kenora, Ont., of the Star Choice/Cancom regime.
While the small cablecos have been caught in the crossfire, the battle has been primarily between CTV Inc. and Star Choice. It’s so bad that Star Choice doesn’t even carry CTV Specialty’s TSN HD or Discovery HD.
“If there’s a silver lining in this decision, it’s that Star Choice may now carry some of the CTV HD. That, we’ve found, has been one of the downfalls of the company’s HD offering,” Ritchie told www.cartt.ca. “The HD package is uncompetitive, frankly, because there is no CTV content.” Ritchie went on to say that people in his community have gone to Bell ExpressVu simply to be able to get TSN HD. (In retrospect, the NHL Hockey strike/lockout may have been a good thing for Star Choice and the independent cable companies as their HD subscribers didn’t realize how much HD NHL hockey they would have missed on TSN HD.)
The Commission decision upheld a June 2004 CTV complaint over Star Choice’s practice of offering omnibus HD channels and denied Star Choice’s application to change the regulations to allow all distributors to carry HD in this fashion.
Star Choice has 30 days to make it right – and the independent cablecos have to get to work to tell their customers.
For the full decision, click here.
– Greg O’Brien
