Communications union urges Parliament to override CRTC

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union is accusing the CRTC of doing a poor job in demanding public accountability from broadcasters, saying it’s time for Parliament to intervene.The union’s statement, issued yesterday, comes as the CRTC reviews the licence renewals for major broadcasters and as the House of Commons Heritage Committee proceeding into the fate of local broadcasting in Canada. “Doesn't it raise any questions when the billion-dollar media empires that the CRTC created just in the last few years precisely because bigger companies would protect smaller stations, now claim their very survival depends on abandoning that promise? The CRTC has not even hinted at a willingness to challenge this line – and no-one else can either, since the CRTC is literally going to throw Canadians out of the room when numbers come up for discussion,” the union’s VP media, Peter Murdoch, said in a release. The union also called for greater transparency of broadcasters’ financial records. “Contrary to its past practice, the CRTC has kept almost all actual financial data off the public record, and will close part of its public hearing to the public when it addresses broadcasters' real financial picture. How can broadcasters' claims be challenged,” asked Murdoch, “when the financials that are key to this entire hearing aren't available for review?”

Communications union urges Parliament to override CRTC

Brief | April 30, 2009

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