The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission held its second hearing on the BCE-Astral Media merger in Montreal last week. The Globe's Sophie Cousineau writes that one after the other, opponents to the $3.4-billion transaction took turns in front of the microphone to blast the "Astral light" deal, as BCE's Bell Media promises to sell off Astral's interest in 11 television services and 10 English-language radio stations to ease concentration concerns. Ms. Cousineau says the difference was scant between last week's hearing and the one before in September. Cogeco boss Louis Audet came out swinging against Bell. He described the merger partners' revised proposal as "odious" and "very dangerous," and very much like the first transaction, which the CRTC shot down over fears of an outsized influence and of an excessive market power. Quebecor, which has previously allied with Cogeco to form the now-defunct "Say No to Bell" coalition, had a slightly different take this time around. Quebecor, in its submission to the CRTC, identified strict conditions under which the merged companies could operate, should the CRTC err and approve the transaction.