Telecoms, broadcasters lobbying on COVID-19 effects

Telecom and media companies, including Quebecor Inc. and Corus Entertainment Inc., have begun adding COVID-19-related registrations to their lobby files in recent weeks. On April 15, Corus added “discussions of COVID-19-related financial impacts and potential government responses” to the registration under its CEO Doug Murphy. In late March, Corus’ consultant lobbyist Sarina Rehal also registered to lobby on the effects of COVID-19 on the company. She reported a communication with Mathieu Bouchard, chief of staff for Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault under that registration on March 27. Quebecor Inc. added “discussions with officials with regards to the government's response to COVID-19” to the registration of its consultant lobbyist Andrew Steele on March 16, early on in the pandemic. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters consultant lobbyist Richard Mahoney added “response to COVID-19 crisis and potential financial assistance to industry” to his registration in late March. He registered two communications under that registration with Heritage Canada staff on March 23 and 24, with Guilbeault’s director of policy Rebecca Caldwell and senior policy advisor Maxence Bernier. In a March 24 letter to Guilbeault published on its website, the CAB said advertising was down 20 per cent and that broadcasters were expecting 50 to 75 per cent declines in the coming weeks. It asked for a number of immediate actions, including the suspension of broadcast licence fees; the government announced those fees would be waived less than a week later. A consultant for the National Campus and Community Radio Association registered to seek “government support for the hundreds of community and campus radio stations transmitting information during the COVID-19 pandemic,” while the Music Publishers Association also registered a consultant to look for support for music publishing businesses. On March 31, Roku Inc.’s consultant Daniel Brock registered to communicate with the government “about utilizing the Roku platform to convey information about COVID-19 to Canadians.” And a registration by Telus Corp. consultant Kevin Bosch didn’t directly reference the ongoing pandemic, but did add e-health to the subjects he is registered to lobby on. The registration now includes: “Informing Federal officials around TELUS initiatives in the Health Care field and communicating the need for increased cooperation in developing next-generation healthcare services between all levels of Government.” The company has been scaling up its e-health division in response to the pandemic.

Telecoms, broadcasters lobbying on COVID-19 effects

Brief | April 21, 2020

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Telecoms, broadcasters lobbying on COVID-19 effects

Brief | April 21, 2020

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Related Stories

Wireless data essential tool for study of urban recovery from pandemic

CRTC rejects Stingray COVID relief request, orders broadcaster to pay $9M in tangible benefits

Government, Telefilm, extend support for uninsured Canadian productions

CRTC sides with creative sector in broadcasters’ CanCon relief proposal

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us