Industry must be ‘united’ going into CRTC’s TV review: Cassaday

Canada's largest media companies should head into the CRTC's upcoming TV policy review with a “united view” to avoid new regulations, said Corus Entertainment Inc. chief executive John Cassaday. On a conference call with analysts Thursday for the company's third-quarter earnings, Cassaday said he would like to see more regulatory flexibility come out of the review. “I think the commission has indicated to us that they're open minded about what the scope of the hearing will be. It would be our hope that we can provide some leadership by working with our colleagues in the industry and framing the issues that need to be identified and dealt with,” Cassaday said. “I think it's really incumbent on us, and by us, I mean Shaw , Corus, Rogers Communications Inc., Bell , to lead the commission on this, and make sure they're aware of the flexibility that we think we need to compete against over-the-top providers and other non-regulated entrants in our industry. I'm hoping that they will be receptive,” he said. The CRTC said this spring it will launch a broad review of its policies for the TV sector, first consulting with the public this fall and then with industry. The review is expected to look at a range of issues such as channel packaging, pricing, programming, diversity of voices, opportunities for writers and producers, pick-and-pay and on-demand options, and increasing regulatory flexibility for broadcasters, such as the elimination of niche programming requirements known as “genre protection.” Cassaday said companies going into the review without a united view of the issues may end up encouraging more regulation. “What I very much hope is we don't go in with an absence of a clear, compelling and united view, because that will only encourage more regulation and we need more flexibility right now to ensure we can be successful in the future,” he said. CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said in a speech last month that the review will look at a “complex” television regulatory framework that has become too focused on the rules instead of policy objectives. With more media options available to consumers online, the CRTC needs to shift from “rules to outcomes,” he said. “For decades, meant issuing licences to networks and cable and satellite service providers, with certain conditions attached,” he said. “While the intentions have always been good and appropriate for the times, the result is a complex framework … It’s become gears in and of itself. It’s become about the rules.” —With reporting by Simon Doyle at sdoyle@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Industry must be ‘united’ going into CRTC’s TV review: Cassaday

Broadcast | July 11, 2013

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