OTTAWA – The CRTC has received over 15,000 submissions – and counting – on the issues of fee for carriage and the digital transition, after encouraging Canadians to take part in the public consultation process that ended Monday.
According to the broadcaster backed coalition ‘Local TV Matters’, support for local TV has been “unprecedented”. And a CRTC source says those cataloguing the submissions are working nearly 24/7.
“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of clear and unequivocal support for our position," said Paul Sparkes, EVP of corporate affairs for CTVglobemedia, in a statement on Wednesday. "Canadian consumers were not fooled, they understood the issues, and we can’t thank them enough."
The group said that more than 130,000 comments submitted to the CRTC confirm support for local TV. After a random sampling of the comments, Cartt.ca found that the broadcasters did appear to garner more support than the TV distributors, many of whom have united behind a campaign called ‘Stop the TV tax’.
Broadcasters, BDUs and other parties have circulated various form letters to their constituents on this issue, and an earlier version of this story inadvertently included excerpts from some of them. Cartt.ca also selected a comment from Donald Bastien, whose name we should have recognized as the GM and VP of CTV Montreal.
Below are some additional random (we hope!) comments received by the CRTC:
– “If the cable companies need to help local television (which I believe they do) then they need to do it on their own dime! It certainly isn’t going to come out of my pocket!!!” – Sam Truax, Guelph, ON.
– "The Cable companies are charging way more then (sic) enough already to absorb this fee and it is most definitely not fair to the Networks to give them nothing after You, the CRTC, has added so many new stations to the dial all competing for ad revenue, causing the current situation for the networks. Programming has become horrible since the 500 channel universe came into effect, there is now even less of substance on then there was 25 years ago, rampant expansion of specialty channels is a failure, and has contributed significantly to the dumbing down of the global media system." – Ron Fischer, Alliston, ON
– "We have had enough with taxes imposed on TV services. If the TV companies cannot manage their finances with adequate services and efficient business practices, then the customers should not foot the bill.” – Setrak Boursalian, Montreal
– “I oppose the current campaign by the local television stations and the cable companies. As a consumer, I will ultimately pay the bill. $100 per month for cable is a ripoff now. Local programming is unwatchable and weak, save for news programs in large urban centres. Have you ever tried to watch local cable in Kenora, ON or Fort Chipewyan, AB? Didn’t think so. I would like CRTC to rule that the cable companies and local television settle this dispute without public money and without any cost to consumers.” – Peter Magnan, Calgary
The hearing is scheduled to begin December 7 in Gatineau. (Ed. Note – the original version of this story contained a link to the CRTC’s list of submissions for this hearing. We have excluded it here as the site appears to be having technical issues).
– Lesley Hunter
