But "is considering a form of mandatory carriage applicable to all Canadian All- News Services, that would include Sun."
The decision also lays out a proposal for a new category of licences for Canadian all-news channels. It's asking for public comment now on a proposed framework that includes forcing distributors to offer all Canadian national news services, Canadian news services in close proximity in their channel lineup, as well as offering national news services in a package and on a standalone basis.
So while Sun News Network will not get the mandatory carriage order it sought, the CRTC has put forward a streamlined process to rewrite the rules for Sun News and its competitors.
Meanwhile...
APTN renewed. Race based programming and 80's american movies are culturally valuable. Conservative viewpoints aren't. What a load, #crtc.
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 8, 2013
Update: Paul Wells thinks there's more sunshine than darkness to be found in the decision.
Can't say I'm sad. SNN was obnoxious and tacky.
L-ass, and the lefty "spun news" is.............
Like we need these "A" holes
Wow I'm shocked that big gubment STATIST elites used their position at the trough to benefit themselves at the expense of their own professionalism.
Fire Them All and tax cut please.
We expected anything different? Seriously?
Can we get a gag order on the CRTC? And before anybody asks,by "we",I mean conservatives.Libbies and leftards need not apply.
LAS- Well you're obnoxious and tacky, but (for some reason) Kate allows you equal opportunity on here!
Oprah's ego gets mandatory carriage but a channel that covers Canadian news and current events doesn't.
Could that be because an audience of vapid women fits in better with the "important public policy objectives" of the Broadcasting Act than Sun News ever will?
Can't wait to tune into the French blind network tonight.
As is noted above, this process is not over yet.
And could sun potentially take them to court?
What is perplexing is that they deny the mandatory carriage yet say they are looking at a mandatory carriage rule for all news orgs. Why didn't they grant them MC and then bring out the new rules.
Not sure why this is a big deal? I haven't used the satellite dish for over half a year. Everything I want is accessible through my Google TV box and Netflix. I keep SNN bookmarked in Chrome on the television and just watch videos that way.
I expect this sort of freedom to be outlawed in the future, however, as it does not benefit Canuck special interest groups. Who the hell would watch anything produced by Sarah Polley when given a choice to opt out?
What utter garbage. I suspect that the criteria for a mandatory distribution order match up completely with what the CBC offers.
I also suspected a ruling like this, where the bloody CRTC -- an anachronistic regulator if there ever was one -- throws a few crumbs to the SNN, in its proposal for a new category of licences for Canadian all-news channels.
Now, bloody hell, they're asking for more input from the public. I've already damned well done that, articulately I might add, and I really resent having to scratch my head again in order to "participate" in the CRTC's latest outrage to regulate us to death. They should pay us to contribute our comments. They're getting paid a pretty penny of our hard-earned dollars; I think it's time for us to benefit from our hard work telling them how to do their job.
In a perfect world, there'd be no CRTC, no CBC, and no need of our comments to the dastardly CRTC about how to improve delivery of Canadian news fairly and justly to Canadians.
Do we live in a democracy?
The decision's section announcing a review says nothing to suggest that all the news networks bundled together on the same dial area would get mandatory carriage. CRTC made it clear mandatory carriage is not going to happen for Sun News Network.
What Sean said. I am never going back to cable/satellite or whatever. I hope that future innovation will make it difficult to impossible to outlaw this kind of freedom. Better learn to setup a fake ISP address for one thing.
I suspect this was a decision made by yet another Frenchman who runs the CRTC. Oh sure, they'll ask for input, but at the end of the day, one call from Justin Trudeau will settle the matter and SUNTV will be in the dust, and the CRTC boss will no doubt be made a senator or ambassador to France.
But really....knowing what we do about the Liberal infested beaurocracy......were you expecting any other result?
Kate...we await the link to the CRTC for further input.
I receive my television through Telus. It is not even an option to add Sun News Network to my news package as Telus does not offer it.
However, included in my news coverage I pay for I am blessed with Al Jazeera and RT, the Russian news channel. So Islamist and neo-communist coverage is acceptable, but conservative points of view of news relevant to Canada is not.
Trust me, We're considering your situation and you know that we support Conservative causes. Just take this, it'll all soon be over. There, there, be a good boy.
Screw 'em, useless bast@rds that they are.
Ok, if you want to complain to the CRTC, here's the link.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/home-accueil.htm
I just left quite a diatribe....hope you do the same.
Wrt Paul Wells' columm, if the CRTC ends up "clumping all Canadian news channels — the CBC’s, CTV’s, Sun, potential new entries — in neighbouring channels to form a 'news neighbourhood” on your cable dial" later this year, it would actually better for Sun News than if they received mandatory carriage now. Right now, Sun is out in the proverbial boonies (at least on my "dial"). If it was alongside the others it would make it more likely that those people who are inclined to flip around for news between CBC and CTV's all-news channels would land on, and watch, SUN News.
Obviously that won't be permitted to happen. I suspect their approach will be to drag the process out while waiting for SNN to go under - basically the same approach the bureaucracy uses on the Harper government.
SUN's position on this contradicts the libertarian/small 'c' attitude that Ezra and Co. regularly promote. This is the same news network that rails aginst the HRCs for forcing people to comply, and the same network that exposes regulatory nonsesnse imposed on individuals by the OSPCA and Conservation Authorities.
And now this network - SUN NEWS - is asking a government regulatory body (the enemy) to force private enterprises (cable networks)to carry their news???
I mean, let's say the the CRTC did comply, and forced the companies to carry SUN. How would SUN have any moral authority after that to point a finger at CBC and call them government whores?
Statement by Kory Teneycke, VP of Sun News:
"We are disappointed that the CRTC did not rule in favour of our application for a mandatory distribution order. However, we are encouraged they have found merit in the main arguments laid out by Sun News on price, channel placement and distribution, and have provided a mechanism to address these issues.
The CRTC has made it clear that it is no longer acceptable for distributors to pay twice as much to foreign news channels as they do to Canadian news channels.
Closing that gap will benefit all Canadian news channels. Our campaign was to put 'Canadian TV First', not put 'Sun News First'. We are glad that our application has acted as a catalyst for this broader review of the framework for national news services announced today. We intend to participate fully in those proceedings, and will continue to operate pending an outcome."
Jamie MacMaster "SUN's position on this contradicts the libertarian/small 'c' attitude that Ezra and Co. regularly promote."
Just because a Mennonite is a pacifist doesn't mean that he welcomes a violent death.
It is thoroughly ridiculous that a business should be expected to tolerate discrimination under the law. I suspect that whatever the nature of the playing field, they only wish it to be fair.
Recall, if you have not already done so, that Quebecor Media, who run Sun News, have two major shareholders.
One is Quebecor Inc. itself, still dominated by the Péladeau family.
The other is the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, the "sovereign" wealth fund established by Jacques Parizeau with money beaten out of Lower Canada's long-suffering Protestants and Jews, and out of which superannuated Quebec civil servants are paid after a lifetime of trouble-making at the Office québécois de la langue française (just for example) so they can spend their golden years living on the pig's back in Florida and Cuba, blissfully unaware how much pleasure Varadero waitstaff take in spitting in the mojitos they have the dubious honour of serving to the "tabarnacos."
That Sun was denied mandatory coverage is quite all right with me. Forgive me if I don't care to see my pocket picked further to pay Jacques Parizeau's pension. I'm mostly sorry I'm still forced through my tax dollars to support Réseau des indépendantistes.
Thanks for the link. I will be making use of it shortly. But it must be noted that there is quite possibly a very silver lining in this cloud of a decision: the rules have become much more favourable to Sun News and they likely will be given a fast track to whatever it is these new rules allow. Under the existing framework there was little chance for Quebecor to succeed so this is by no means an all out denial on the part of the CRTC, at least not yet. It may very well prove to be an opportunity for far more than the 91H designation would have allowed.
However, and this is a big however, if come this fall, Sun News finds itself not in possession of the licensing it requires, the CRTC might find itself besieged with Sun News supporters camped out on their doorstep. I am not prepared to take no for an answer on this one.
The CRTC is a liberal creation, packed by Liberals who look down their nose at non-liberals; as is all the bureaucracies.
Boy, that sure is some chip on yer shoulder there Dick. Must get heavy at times.
(sigh)
I guess it was too much to expect.
What one should be doing is questioning why the CRTC exists at all. Why should this body regulate what consumers clearly want? Everyone has to play their game if they want in.
For people who choose cable, there should be a la carte options. No more bundles with mandatory CBC carriage. The idea that there will be a new category for news shows is consolation prize if true.
Jamie MacMaster.....probably one of the stupidest comments ever seen on this board. Without question, Sun News could compete head to head with any news service in the country. No doubt about it. Of course, leftists can't operate on a level playing field.
scar, you are completely correct; and with a great analogy too.
Throughout this process SUN has always focused on "a level playing field" with the preference being to remove ALL special privileges rather than giving SUN equal privilege.
If the CRTC is being forthright and actually accomplishes what they're proponing, which is apparently at the instigation of SUN, then SUN NEWS will have truly made a big difference in Canada.
We all know what's going to happen. They will put it out for public comments, which will inevitably be all negative to the idea, then they will say "no" to changing the rules because the public said so.
Nice weaseling CRTC!
Disappointed, however not surprised, in the least. Having listened the CRTC elitist snots during the hearing and the condescending remarks spewed by the Chairman, it was apparent the ruling today would be a foregone conclusion.
We all know what's going to happen. ~ the champ
Actually we don't; who would have predicted this outcome from the current application?
I actually expected a total shut-out. No! Piss off SUN!
So I'm guardedly optimistic.
"It is thoroughly ridiculous that a business should be expected to tolerate discrimination under the law. I suspect that whatever the nature of the playing field, they only wish it to be fair."
Absolutely intolerable trumps thoroughly ridiculous.
And it would be absolutely intolerable if any private enterprise (SUN NEWS) could have the state force another private enterprise (cable networks) to carry a product that they do not wish to carry - whether the grounds are economic or philosophical.
Wishing something to be your own version of "fair" is quite different from asking the state to make it so.
And as for "Joey", if SUN News can really compete, then it has the option of forming its own cable network. You can take that as gospel from a hardcore "leftist". So, back in your mother's pouch.
While Sun News did not get exactly what they asked for, the CRTC has put in place a process that could well deliver what they seek, which is fairness plus a level playing field for all of Canada's news channels. In doing so, the CRTC recognizes the logic of Sun News Network's argument that it brings Canadian news content to viewers and deserves to have the same access to viewers as do CBCNN and CTVNN. CRTC also obviously recognizes that it is ridiculous that CNN, a US news channel devoid of Canadian content, is on basic cable but Sun is not.
The CRTC has pledged to render this decision by year's end, which is lightning speed for this outfit. Sun News indicated today it will soldier on, losing money, until then. Sun may yet win this thing.
...absolutely intolerable if any private enterprise (SUN NEWS) could have the state force another private enterprise (cable networks) to carry a product that they do not wish to carry... Jamie MacMaster
So when is it tolerable for the state to force this on a private enterprise?
So you're saying Bell Media or Shaw or Rogers should be able to ditch the CBC from its offering of channels or put CBC and CBCNN on channel 800 and 801 if they wished.
So it's okay for the state to force a private company (in the same business) to carry a product they don't wish to on economic or philosophical reasons if it is a state owned entity.
It’s time to grow up folks. At the risk of crushing some already bruised sensibilities, here’s the skinny on SUN News.
It is nothing but another large Quebec corporation that, like Bombardier and dozens of others, is quite prepared to use whatever political clout or maneuvering it takes to secure the best position possible in the market-place.
SUN NEWS is right-wing not because of any conservative pre-disposition on the part of its owners, but rather, because they recognized the potential for revenue in a void: there was no news network that appealed to conservatives. And I'm damned glad they did!
Do I like Ezra’s rants, and Menzies’ adventures? Damned right I do. But I don’t pretend for one second that their bosses would hesitate to use the power of the state to secure them an advantage – even if it meant pissing on the rights of their competitors.
Given the chance, SUN would tout the virtues of a state monopoly to the same degree as the CBC. It ain’t right or wrong; it’s just the slimy, greasy, under-handed way that big businesses operate.
And before you reply, do some real research about the Peladeau family, Quebecor, and their interactions with our political elite. Wikipedia doesn’t count.
Not sure why anyone would even try to set up a television network these days? That's another dying info delivery paradigm, just like newspapers. I am disappointed they didn't go the podcast route. Many of us are more than pleased to pay for premium content (Carolla and Beck fan here). I would pony up a bit of $$$ for SUN were they to appear on Google Play, that's for sure.
There may be a silver lining in this dark cloud,I've got my fingers crossed. BUT...
I didn't link to this guy's column for various reasons. He gives a rundown on some of the people that the CRTC lined up to argue against SNN's application. Keep in mind that their argumants may have had little to do with the rejection,but it does show that they clearly are not concerned with a level playing field,unless they were subtly trying to get a ruling for SNN.
" Gustavo Ruiz: Gustavo is kind of angry. He wants Stephen Harper charged with treason. In his missive to the CRTC, Gustavo said, after he eyeballed Sun News, he felt “like taking a shower in a desperate effort to clean off the filth.” Wow! He also says Sun News ”should be banned from the public airwaves” because we have a “fascist ideology.”
Jeff Hanks: Jeff is an Occupy guy, and I kind of like that. Anyone who read Fight The Right knows I liked the Occupiers. In his missive to the CRTC, however, Jeff said he didn’t ”want this offensive garbage on cable filling Canadians with propaganda from gov’ts and corporations. The future of a Canada that is equal, environmentally minded, socially just is at stake. If these people are allowed on cable it will be very harmful to people that do not have a lot of education and are vulnerable to their ideas that are setting back Canada 20-30 years.”
Dimitri Lascaris: Dimitri is a lawyer and a seemingly accomplished fellow. In his request to appear before the CRTC, he said that Sun news is “a propaganda organ and is designed to mislead and manipulate the public into supporting an agenda that is decidedly pro-business.” Like Jeff, above, Dimitri is implying that Canadians are uncritical, unintelligent empty vessels, into which the evil Sun News overlords pour Satanic thoughts.
Kevin Donaldson: Kevin is 18 years old, but he wears ties and vests in public. That alone should result in him being banned, not Sun News. Bow ties are worse than vests, but not by much.
Matthew Hays: Mr. Hays is journalist, and – as such – he works for lots of different news organizations. Ie., Sun News’ competitors. In that way, he’s like Glen McGregor, except more accomplished.
Tod Maffin: Tod is kind of like Matthew, above, but way worse. Tod’s actually the CBC’s “national technology columnist.” He’s paid by the CBC to do his thing. He says Sun News is “garbage,” “absolutely biased,” and: ”[Sun News] should NOT be allowed on Canadian television. I am appalled that the CRTC is even considering adding this channel to basic cable. Please, toss Sun “News” off the air.” It is so obvious it doesn’t even merit saying, but here goes: the views of someone paid by a competitor are, well, the views of someone paid by a competitor. They’re what you’d expect. Pepsi vs. Coke, Tory vs. Grit, Hatfield vs. McCoy. Does anyone really listen to what one side says about the other?
Do I like Ezra’s rants, and Menzies’ adventures? Damned right I do. ~ Jamie MacMaster
Notwithstanding your intriguing analysis of the underlying corporate structure and the unholy alliance of corps and government, those rants are what many people want to preserve. If the ideology of the rants change then the popular conservative support disappears.
"..those rants are what many people want to preserve. If the ideology of the rants change then the popular conservative support disappears..."
Not necessarily.
As an example, the ideology of the National Post has changed substantially over the last ten years - it is nowhere near as right-wing as it was away back when. And popular conervative support for the NP is certainly declining. But they simply channel their attention elsewhere: blogs, forums, or SUN News.
You got it, Buddy!
No disagreement here.
Proving my point that SUN has other non-coercive options to secure a pre-eminient position in the media market-place.
You obviously don't have a clue what the word 'preeminent' means. Or how to spell it.
Btw (for everyone else) here's Warrren K, at his site: "Sun Set or Sun Rise?"
(emph. his)
Later,
Yes Jamie, Sean has definitely got it.
Pod casts are about to take over from TV news.
Mom, you've got to buy a "Pod" now because Peter Mansbridge may not be on TV anymore.
I'm thinking that if Warren Kinsella weren't such a tarnished slut that he might be ripe for conversion. OK I get it, he's a lawyer, he has the capability of pretending he's a converted slut.
Am I going to get sued for this? Just kidding Warren; keep up the good work.
"Or how to spell it."
Hey there, EBD, how's it going!
We didn't recognize you till we saw your sentence fragment.
You're gonna get your Net Nanny Licence lifted if you keep that up!
Damn! Should Net-Nanny be hyfenated?
Pssst...Glengarrian: another beer says he bites.
OK
Now I understand.
I like this scenerio better:
On my cable provder's website I get a menu with a choice and a price for each channel.
For Sun News I tick the box.
For CBC, Aptn, TV Ontario and the rest of the dross I never watch I don't tick the box.
I pay for the channels I want.
The whole CRTC system needs to be scrapped.
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/home-accueil.htm
There you have it. The URL once again to contact the CRTC. Please do.
Pat
SunTV does not receive $1.1 Billion per year in tax payer subsidies, unlike the CBC. SunTV news does not receive any government subsidies-all the station asked for was mandatory carriage as a Canadian content based channel.
Although Canada and the US refused to sign an the International Telecoms Treaty, the UN continues to have an impact on the CRTC. Stations deemed to be unfriendly toward human rights, as defined by the UN, are held back. Telus knows the power the UN wields and will be wielding in the Telecom industry globally, and have aligned it's program offerings to adhere to UN criteria-the company has international plans and is broadcasting in much of Asia where many of these countries are signatories to the UN Telecom Treaty. In short, they want unfettered access to foreign markets, yet are opposed to access by foreign competitors in Canada.
Telus met with industry leaders on August 1, 2013. http://tinyurl.com/lzzv97w
Telus foreign ownership: http://tinyurl.com/mxcmgww