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Speaking before the Heritage Committee, CTV called for swift federal action to address the crisis in local Canadian television. Ivan Fecan, president and CEO of CTVglobemedia, explained, " 'we are not asking for bail-outs or short term fixes however well intentioned they may be.' " He pointed out, " 'what interests us is a plan to build a sustainable future for conventional television in Canada.' "
CTV outlined a three point plan to provide a viable new framework for local television, including:
1. The immediate implementation of fee-for-carriage.
2. Satellite carriage for local TV stations.
3. A hybrid digital transition strategy. Fecan said, " 'we cannot justify an investment of several hundred million dollars to reach 9% of the marketplace, particularly when this investment produces no additional revenue in a business that is already teetering on the edge.' "
According to Fecan, " 'local is worth fighting for. If we cut those roots, we will lose something invaluable as a nation.' " He added, " 'we are passionate about television. Our belief is demonstrated not merely by rhetoric, but by a consistent body of work comprised of top rated Canadian programming, that is unmatched by any other broadcaster in English Canada.' "
Source: Broadcaster, 04/22/2009
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