Small specialty channels considering new lobby group following closure of CAB

Following the announcement that the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) will cease operations in June, a small group of independent specialty channels will be discussing over the next few weeks the possibility of creating a new lobby group, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) CEO Jean LaRose told The Wire Report. The CAB announced Feb. 18 that it is closing shop in June due to an impasse between some of its members. The association represents the interests of radio and television broadcasters, distributors, and pay and specialty channels. LaRose said members of the Independent Broadcast Group (IBG), an affiliation of small and independent pay and specialty channels, are considering whether to create their own lobby group in the absence of the CAB. “At this point we are exploring whether there is a benefit to us formalizing a relationship or if we keep going on an ad hoc basis,” he said. “But nothing has been finalized, and we are hoping in the coming weeks to either get together or do a conference call and have a good open discussion and frank conversation amongst ourselves.” In April 2009, seven specialty channels joined forces under the IBG banner to participate in the CRTC consultations on commercial advertising. The coalition included APTN, Channel Zero Inc., Ethnic Channels Group Ltd., Fairchild Television Ltd., TV5 Québec Canada, Stornoway Communications, and S-VOX Group of Companies. LaRose said the channels will consider several factors before creating a new advocacy group, including the interest of members, the benefits and disadvantages, and the costs. “We all have different interests. Sometimes, we have different priorities, and we have to make sure that, whatever agreement we come to, it will work for all of us,” he said. “ is flexible enough to recognize that if we have varying interests, or different interests, we are willing to recognize those and maybe work independently … when the need arises.” Jeffrey Elliott, founder and co-CEO of independent broadcaster Glassbox Television Inc., a CAB member, said in an interview that although his company is not for the moment discussing forming a new lobby group with other broadcasters, they may consider it. LaRose said he hopes to talk to the larger broadcasting players, like CTV, about the issue. “I still believe there is a role for the CAB to play, and I am disappointed that there could be no consensus on some grounds at the last meeting,” he said. “But certainly my sense is that at some point in time in the future, some major issue will arise that will require us to look again at banding together to defend what will then be a common threat, or a common interest, to all of us.” Peter Grant, counsel with the McCarthy Tétrault law firm in Toronto and a communications industry expert, said it makes sense for independent broadcasters to band together. “ particularly the smaller ones that don’t have a big enough size to warrant a fulltime regulatory shop. They would probably benefit from having a group,” he said. But Jeffrey Dvorkin, the Rogers visiting professor of journalism at Ryerson University, said it might not be necessary to form a new lobby group. “Since the CRTC has basically given carte blanche to whatever the CAB has wanted in the past, the need for a lobby group is hardly necessary,” he said. “What indicates is the fragmentation of the audience is now being reflected by the fragmentation of the industry. The idea that there is commonality of interest among the broadcasters is really finished.” kfournier@thewirereport.ca

Small specialty channels considering new lobby group following closure of CAB

Broadcast | February 24, 2010

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