UPDATE: Commission approves Rogers-NOWTV deal

OTTAWA-GATINEAU - The CRTC this morning approved the $13 million acquisition of religious broadcaster NOWTV by Rogers Broadcasting. According to the terms of the deal released last year, Rogers will pay $12.25 million for CHNU-TV Fraser Valley (which serves the Vancouver region as NOWTV BC) and $750,000 for CIIT-TV Winnipeg, or NOW TV Manitoba, which has not yet launched. Rogers also proposed a benefits package of $1.3 million. When contacted by www.cartt.ca, Rael Merson, president of Rogers Broadcasting, said that the Winnipeg station will launch by September 2006, “at the latest.” The Commission also approved Rogers’ request to add a...