Pick and pay versus bundled packages- Cable industry faces stiff opposition in bid to offer new TV channels à la carte
News | 07/19/2000 4:00 am EDT
A large rift has opened up in the Canadian television industry over how new digital specialty channels will be sold to consumers. The Specialty and Premium Television Association (SPTV) and the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) are facing off against the major cable companies, represented by the Canadian Cable Television Association, (CCTA) over the issue of whether digital channels should be offered on a pick and pay basis or sold in packages. Both sides gave the issue high priority in their interventions to the CRTC, which begins licence hearings for new digital channels on August 14.