FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Ottawa – The bitter dispute between Canada’s broadcast and cable giants is no closer to resolution after today’s CRTC policy on fee-for-carriage, an outcome that places endangered local TV news one step closer to extinction, according to the watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting.
 
The CRTC announced today it would refer the contentious question of whether and how much TV broadcasters should be paid for the programs they currently provide to cable and satellite distributors without charge to the Federal Court of Appeal.
 
“This decision means that there will be no clarity on this issue for months, possibly years.  By the time a decision is reached it could well be too late for local television in Canada,” said Friends spokesperson Ian Morrison.
 
Research confirms that Canadians value local news more highly than any other type of programming.
 
The Commission’s decision today lays out a detailed framework for broadcasters and distributors to negotiate compensation for local signals.  But this framework does nothing to restrict the ability of cable companies to pass on local broadcast fees to subscribers.
 
“Consumers should expect yet another cash grab from big cable,” Morrison said.
 
The Commission also announced new rules for minimum spending on Canadian TV programs which would force broadcasters to maintain existing expenditure levels.
 
“There is a crisis in Canadian local TV and today's policy announcements fail to reflect the urgency of the threat to local programming throughout Canada,” Morrison said.

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For information: Jim Thompson 613-447-9592