The CRTC’s move in favour of the big broadcasters opens door for massive fee hikes by cable television firms, which, ironically, are the owners of some of these same companies, and shuts out the CBC.
Cable companies
The CRTC ruling hurts the CBC -- and viewers
On Tuesday, the CRTC made their announcements and decisions concerning the fate of the TV industry in Canada.
The CRTC has relented to the pressure from broadcasters and has decided that they will "allow" a fee-for-carriage charge to be applied to cable or satellite bills to compensate for the services that broadcasters supposedly provide. This means that cable/satellite companies (many of whom own the broadcasters on the other end of the dispute) will have to "reluctantly" charge Canadians for the broadcasts that are created by the likes of CTV and Global.
Community TV blamed for cable cash crunch
Once upon a time, the Tom Greens of the world could walk into their local cable company office, go down the hall to the studio and make a program. As long as they kept it legal, they could say what they wanted.
Canadians like Guy Maddin, Dan Aykroyd and Mike Meyers and Tom may have given the sector the cultist alternative edge it's famous for. All got their starts on these channels, along with thousands of others currently working in Canada's broadcasting and film industries. The medium was used in its hey-day by thousands of community organizations, ethnic, political and linguistic minorities, city councils, MPs, lawyers, doctors, filmmakers, stockbrokers, bicycle clubs, schools, theatres and sports teams of every description.
Big Cable RIP-OFF
Cable monopolies are taking nearly $120 Million dollars a year from a public trust.
*Tell the CRTC to put an end to this insanity: http://openmedia.ca/action
