We've seen local broadcast stations get
all up in arms over payments (or the lack thereof) from cable and satellite providers, and it seems that Canada's CTVglobemedia is doing just that. According to a new complaint filed with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, it's looking for "fair compensation" for carriage of its stations as audiences look for other outlets (read: internet) and advertising revenues sink. The media conglomerate even went so far as to say that it "wasn't right" that "cable companies pay nothing for its signal, yet charge their customers to watch local news and programming." Them's fightin' words there, and to be honest, it's got a fairly good point.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ferret @ Jan 28th 2008 1:07PM
Currently, all Canadian cable companies are required by law to provide carriage of local networks. So this law would have to change so I, as a subscriber, could opt of this channel, which I most certainly would if I were charged for it. Why would I pay for something I can get for free over the air? Honestly, this is silly.
Daley @ Jan 28th 2008 8:49PM
Especially considering CTV's "great" HD programming... oh wait that was all their imports in HD and next to none of their own... not even news.
aplen22 @ Jan 28th 2008 8:11PM
Stupid, just like anything else BCE thinks up, like selling (or whoring) themselves to the south. They're exactly what's wrong with the corporate landscape in our country right now.