Broadcasting Distribution
 

• Cablecos Should Devote 10 Percent of Revenues to Canadian Programming
  Canada’s four biggest cable companies should contribute 10 per cent of their total revenues—including phone and internet—to the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and other federally sponsored cultural funds, the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting says

• Court Rules ISPs Are Not Broadcasters
  While ruling that Internet Service Providers are not, in fact, broadcasters and therefore not subject to Canadian content exhibition or contribution requirements, the Federal Court of Appeal also issued a bit of a caution on the issue of net neutrality.
  

• Distributors Say Value-For-Signal Regime Would Block TV Creators From Royalties
  The CRTC’s proposed value-for-signal regime could block television creators from receiving copyright royalties, several of Canada’s largest cable and satellite television providers say.

• CRTC Evens Out Packaging Rules for Canadian Services
  The CRTC has tweaked the linkage and distribution rules for BDUs.  The revisions are designed to allow more flexibility in the packaging of Canadian specialty services with non-Canadian-originated services.

• Bell Asks CRTC For "Regulatory Symmetry" 
  Bell has asked the CRTC to change rules it says have long favoured cable companies over telecommunications companies when it comes to signing up new subscribers.

• CRTC to Consider Two BDU Requests
  In addition to requests for a number of new television channels, the CRTC will also consider two applications for new BDUs at a hearing this summer.

• Canadian Broadcasting Model 'Broken': Lacroix
  The Canadian broadcasting business model is broken, Hubert Lacroix, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, told the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance Wednesday.
  

• CRTC Extends Deadline by 17 Months for New TV Service Applications
  To help the broadcasting industry adapt to “significant changes,” the CRTC announced that it will delay by 17 months the deadline for applications for new “must carry” Category A television services.

• Conservative Gov't Emphasizes Interests of Consumers in Response to CRTC
  Dean Del Mastro, parliamentary secretary to the minister of Canadian Heritage, says the government is taking the interests of consumers into consideration as it reviews the CRTC's recommendations to the government

• Allarco Tells Heritage Committee to Punish BDUs for Anti-Competitive Behaviour
  Canada’s current broadcast legislation fosters anti-competitive behaviour among the dominant cable companies, says Allarco Entertainment, owners of Canadian pay-TV service Super Channel.

• CRTC Approves in Part Applications by FreeHD Canada
  The CRTC approves in part applications for broadcasting licences by FreeHD Canada Inc. to operate a national direct-to-home (DTH) satellite distribution undertaking and a national satellite relay distribution undertaking (SRDU).
  

• Rogers Asks to Carry Digital Multicast Signals of U.S. Broadcaster
  In what could be a first for a Canadian BDU, Rogers Cable has asked the CRTC if it may carry the digital multicast signals of a U.S. broadcaster.
  

• CRTC Approves New BDU to Serve Toronto Area
  The CRTC has approved an application by MTT Networks for a broadcasting licence to operate a Class 1 terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking to serve Toronto and the surrounding areas.

• CBC Proposes Solution to Affordable Cable Services
  In a submission filed with the CRTC, CBC/Radio-Canada offers a solution to the issue of cable affordability should a compensation regime for the value of local television signals be implemented.

• Shaw Buys Mountain Cable
  Shaw is now Canada's largest cable company after receiving CRTC approval to proceed with its purchase of Mountain Cablevision.

• Broadcasters Launch Local TV Matters Campaign
  Canadian broadcasters stepped up a war of words with the cable industry by launching a public campaign for proposed new fees they say are critical to the survival of local television. 

• Coalition Formed to Stop the TV Tax
  Saying that this is no time to ask Canadian families to pay up to $10 more per month on their cable and satellite bills, a coalition of Canada's leading cable and satellite providers launched a campaign to Stop the TV Tax.

• Rogers Opposes Fee-for-Carriage in CRTC Submission
  Rogers continues to oppose fee-for-carriage as an unnecessary bailout for over-the-air broadcasters and an unfair tax on cable and satellite television subscribers.

• Broadcasters Launch National Campaign About Local TV
  CTV, Canwest Global and CBC announced they have joined together to launch a national campaign, dubbed “Local TV Matters,” aimed at striking back at Canadian BDUs and putting pressure on politicians and the CRTC.

• Shaw Direct Must Add CBC Regina or Drop a CTV Station
  Shaw Direct must either reinstate CBC Regina to its channel lineup, or drop a CTV station in order to comply with its conditions of licence, the CRTC ruled on September 11, 2009.

• FreeHD Canada's CRTC Submission for Digital Transition
  If the transition to digital television is going to work in Canada,  consumers are going to need digital set top boxes – and help paying for them – says prospective satellite company FreeHD Canada.

• FreeHD Canada Applies to CRTC for Licence
  FreeHD Canada Inc. has filed applications with the CRTC to provide a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service and a wholesale programming distribution service for Canadian programmers.

• CTV and Consumer Groups Want Re-Regulation of BDUs
  CTV and consumer groups are calling for the re-regulation of television service providers to curb the trend of steadily rising prices.

• Rogers Informs its Customers of LPIF Fee
  A letter sent to Rogers cable TV customers informs them that the CRTC requires a new 1.5% service fee for the Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), which will be added to their bill starting on August 31, 2009.

• Pelmorex Gets Must-Carry Status
  Pelmorex Communications Inc., the owner of The Weather Network and MeteoMedia, will make emergency alerts available to broadcasters across the country.

• Pelmorex Tries Again for Must-Carry Status
  Pelmorex Communications, operator of The Weather Network and MeteoMedia, is trying for a third time for must-carry status and also wants CRTC approval for its emergency alert system. 

• OUTtv Scores Victory Against Shaw
  The CRTC has ruled that Shaw Cable has not been marketing the gay and lesbian TV channel OUTtv as well as other cable operators have.

• CRTC Approves New BDU in the GTA
  Despite objections from Rogers Communications, the CRTC has approved a licence for a new BDU in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which will increase competition in the already crowded market.

• Star Choice Drops Channels
  The CBC is asking the CRTC to force the satellite TV distributor Star Choice, owned by Shaw Communications, to pick up the broadcaster's over-the-air TV signal it recently dropped.  

• Free Mobile TV
  The Spanish company Abertis Telecom has come out with a Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld network called DVB-H.
   
• Are ISPs Broadcasters?
  Leading communications lawyer Peter Grant argues that ISPs are not any different than BDUs under the Broadcasting Act, and should thus have to support Canadian new media content. 
   
• Rogers to Buy Aurora Cable
  Aurora Cable, the last remaining independent cable company in Toronto, has decided to sell to Rogers.
   
• Avis de Recherche gets Mandatory Designation
  The CRTC confirmed that the French digital channel Avis de Recherche, which is devoted to crime prevention, had to be carried on digital basic by all Class 1 and Class 2 cable and satellite providers in Quebec.