Vertical Integration: We need a hammer, too, independent 'casters tell the CRTC

By Perry Hoffman

GATINEAU - The clichés and attempted parallels were flying on the final day of the CRTC’s vertical integration hearing on Tuesday.All of the independents, from V Interactions at the start of Tuesday through to GlassBox and Fight Network at the end of the day, are afraid the big, vertically integrated companies will only act ruthlessly in their own self interests to the severe detriment to their much smaller companies.Among the elements of its proposal, the Weather Network/Météomédia owner Pelmorex Inc. argued that the Commission should “entrench in regulation” a requirement on broadcast distribution undertakings (BDUs) that they can’t alter the...