OTTAWA – We’ll find out sometime in the next few days whether or not Canadians will be paying more for their television (among many other things). The CRTC’s new policy for conventional television will be released this week, likely tomorrow, said the Commission’s chairman last week.
In a speech to the British Columbia Association of Broadcasters, which Cartt.ca reported on here, chairman Konrad von Finckenstein told delegates: "Around May 15, we will issue our determinations arising out of our review of over-the-air television."
The primary issue is sure to be whether or not Canadians will soon have to pay an additional fee for conventional broadcast signals from CTV, Global and the CBC.
All of the broadcasters lobbies for the fee, saying it was unfair that they have just one source of revenue (advertising) while specialty services can rely on ads and subscriptions. The broadcasters also complained that without new money, they wouldn’t easily be able to transition their signals and their content to digital/HD.
Will Canadians have to pay a fee for all local channels or will wholesale fees only be extracted for out of market channels customers choose to time-shift with.
Those opposed to such a move include all MSOs and DTH companies as well as most specialty service companies not associated with the big two private broadcasters. Those channel owners fear that if their customers’ bills go up, specialty penetration will fall.
The cultural groups such as ACTRA and the directors and writers, generally favour such fees but want to make sure any new money is channeled towards the production of Canadian content. Some asked for mandated spending and an increase in the minimum number of hours shown.
As for the HD question, another question before the Commission was just how high definition will reach smaller communities and rural areas. Will the broadcasters be made to retrofit all their transmitters or will all Canadians have to subscribe to satellite or cable in order to get it.
Watch Cartt.ca later this week when the policy is released.
