The Globe and Mail reports in it Friday edition that the Canadian Radio-television
and Telecommunications Commission
(CRTC) issued broad new proposals Thursday that
could, if adopted, dramatically
alter how Canadians receive and
pay for their television.
A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that the proposals include requiring
cable and satellite providers to offer
a basic service made up primarily
of local Canadian channels.
The CRTC is also proposing a so-called
pick-and-pay structure that
would allow Canadians to choose
individual channels, on top of a
basic service.
The CRTC suggests the price of that
basic service could be capped at
between $20 and $30 per month.
The proposals will likely result in a
major departure from the current
TV content delivery model.
The Consumers' Association of
Canada (CAC) says the CRTC has not gone
far enough and should allow Canadians
a "pure choice."
It says, "What store do you walk into, or
anywhere else, where you're told
you've got to buy certain things
before you can buy what you
want?" The CAC says consumers should be allowed
to buy TV channels one at a time,
without having to pay for a basic
service, no matter how pared
down.
© 2024 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.