OTTAWA – Okay, perhaps they won’t re-name the second feed, but the CRTC Thursday granted TSN permission to offer additional programming channels on a digital-only basis.
The new condition of license will let the national sports network deliver specific feeds (most often live events that conflict) to individual BDUs. So, for example, if TSN holds the rights to a figure skating event and an NHL hockey game, it can show both live rather than shuffle one off to tape delay.
The CBC and CanWest objected while Rogers Sportsnet sought certain protections to ensure TSN didn’t turn into a full-time regional sports service, which is what Sportsnet is licensed for. CBC had TSN hauled before the Commission on this matter before, and sided with the CBC.
However, the Regulator encouraged TSN to apply for this particular amendment in that decision, which the network did in June.
The decision does limit what TSN can do, saying it can only use 10% of its hours, quarterly (218), for the extra feed.
TSN also indicated during the process that it did not intend to go after local sports rights or local advertising.
The network already had a limited split feed ability in its license. However, that was only to accommodate league instituted blackout rules where, for example, if a CFL game in Hamilton had to be blacked out, TSN was allowed to show – let’s say – darts to the folks in the Steel City while the rest of the country could watch the Ti-Cats lose.
