Corus, Astral argue for status quo in pay TV; licensing hearings begin today
News | 10/24/2005 4:00 am EDT
| Not surprisingly, Astral Television Networks and Corus Entertainment are telling the CRTC that new pay TV licensees would result in a slew of negative consequences to the broadcasting system, including a probable decline in their contributions to Canadian content. Public hearings into the possible licensing of new pay TV operators got underway today, but the pay TV duopoly –Astral with a lockhold on eastern Canada, and Corus on the west – are desperate to keep the status quo. Three applicants – Spotlight Television, Allarco Entertainment and Quebecor’s Archambault Group – are proposing pay services that would feature mostly U.S. movies. The fourth hopeful – The Canadian Film Channel – wants to operate a pay channel filled with Canadian programming but financed by its competitors (CCR, Aug. 9/05).
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