May 6, 2012 — News Article: CRTC's '10 per cent' rule leads to questionable expenditures and conflicted policy by Michael Geist
Columnist says with so much at stake, it is worth asking whether the current approach to generating new capital for the creation of Canadian programming optimizes what has emerged as one of the largest sources of media funding in Canada.
Mar 16, 2012 — News Article: Bell’s Bid to Swallow Astral Media by Dwayne Winseck
Blogger says that if the CRTC approves Bell's acquisition of Astral, Canada will have lost yet another independent and our position as having one of the most concentrated set of TMI industries amongst the developed capitalist economies will be yet further cemented.
Mar 16, 2012 — News Article: Now what? Industry reaction to the big Bell-Astral deal by Chris Powell
FRIENDS says said the proposed deal between Bell and Astral raises very serious concerns about market dominance in Canada.
Mar 16, 2012 — News Release: BCE acquisition of Astral raises concerns
FRIENDS says BCE Inc.'s bid to purchase Astral Media, the largest media merger in Canadian history, raises concerns about market domination.
Mar 16, 2012 — News Article: Bell empire to expand
Bell Canada has agreed to buy Montreal-based Astral Media for $3.38 billion, adding a number of cable and specialty TV channels and nearly 100 radio stations to its media empire.
Mar 5, 2012 — News Article: Stat Attack: Who’s Watching TV by Doug Picklyk
Columnist says as more screens surround our lives and technology serves up more entertainment options than ever before, Canadians continue to cling to the security of the television set and the schedule it provides.
Mar 1, 2012 — News Article: CRTC drops NFL content case against Bell Canada
The CRTC has said it has confirmed with the NFL that under its contract terms Bell has no right to sub-license to a third-party mobile service provider, media reports say.
Feb 15, 2012 — Policy Brief: Re: BN CRTC 2011-788 – Review of Local Programming Improvement Fund
FRIENDS recommends that the CRTC bend over backwards to defend and protect the position of smaller ownership groups in view of the undue influence of the largest players in the broadcasting system.
Jan 30, 2012 — News Article: The Biggest Risk to the Economy in 2012, and What’s the Economy For Anyway? by Robert Reich
Columnist says the crisis of capitalism marks the triumph of consumers and investors over workers and citizens and the increasing efficiency by which all of us as consumers can get great deals with our declining capacity as citizens.
