Sun News Response to Interventions CRTC 2012 0687 1

7/29/2019 Sun News Response to Interventions CRTC 2012 0687 1

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A Response to Interventions

Reerence #2012-0687-1

Submitted Mar 18, 2013

CanadianTvFirst.ca

1


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CanadianTvFirst.c96o original Canadian television content/hours week

Sun News Network produces


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Table Of Contents

1. Introduction ................................................................................. .................

2. Canadas Broadcasting Act .....................................................................

3. Strong Role For The CRTC ......................................................................

4. 9(1)(h) as a Last Resort ..............................................................................

5. Does Sun News Qualify for 9(1)(h)? ....................................................

6. Move to Digital ............................................................................. ..............

7. A Radically New Market.........................................................................1

8. The CTV News Channel Licence ........................................................1

9. Where This Meets Consumers ...........................................................1

10. The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council .................................1

11. Foreign Interventions ..............................................................................1

12. Conclusion ................................................................................... ................ 2


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Distribution undertakings should give

priority to the carriage of Canadianprogramming services

(Broadcasting Act, SC 1991, c 11, s 3.1(t)(i))

1.1 Further to the case laid out in the Supplementa

for Sun News application for mandatory distrib

we would like to take this opportunity to respon

some specic issues raised by interveners oppo

our application.

1.2 To help provide additional context we would lik

step back and place our application in the broad

legal and regulatory framework that governs th

distribution of television content.

1. Introduction

CANADIAN BROADCASTI

SHOULD BE CANADI

- Pierre J


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2.1 To say the promotion of Canadian content is an important

part of the Broadcasting Act would be an understatement.

It is the primary purpose of the Act, both in spirit and letter.

2.2 From its very rst words, the Act is packed with clause after

clause designed to ensure more Canadian programming is

both created and distributed.

Broadcasting Policy For Canada

2.3 This objective is very broadly laid out in the Act, which

states: each element of the Canadian broadcasting system

shall contribute in an appropriate manner to the creation

and presentation of Canadian programming(Broadcasting Act, SC 1991, c 11, s 3.1(e)).

2.4 But it is the clause pertaining to the distribution of

broadcast services which is of particular importance to the

case of Sun News. The Act states that distributors should

give priority to the carriage of Canadian programming

(Broadcasting Act , SC 1991, c 11, s 3.1(t)(i)). We will have

more to say about this shortly.

2.5 In administration of the Broadcasting Act, the CRTC has

traditionally taken a very active role in ensuring Canadian

content requirements are met in a meaningful way. For

example, the CRTC has long required a portion of Canadian

content be aired in prime time, not simply relegated to

timeslots when most Canadians are not watching. We

believe BDUs giving Sun News 40% market penetration

and placement in the stratosphere of the dial, is the

modern equivalent of airing Canadian programming

at 2am on a Sunday.

EachelementoftheCanadianbroadcastingsystemshall

contributeinanapp

ropriatemannertothecreationan

d

presentationofCanadianprogramming

2. Canadas Broadcasting Act


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4.1 A 9(1)(h) order is in the CRTCs own words an

exceptional tool that should be used sparingly

- and we agree.

4.2 It is a nal backstop to ensure the fulllment of the

letter and the spirit of the Broadcasting Act.

4.3 In an ideal world, Sun News would not have to make

such an application. As a channel that is 100% Canadian

and produces 96 hours per week of rst-run Canadian

content, our broadcast system was envisioned in a

way that channels like Sun News would be distributed

widely, without intervention

by the regulator.

4.4 The challenges Sun News has encountered obtainingdistribution with BDUs has left us with no realistic

option other than to seek a 9(1)(h) order. In

consideration of this order, we encourage the CRTC

to keep in mind the following citations from the

Broadcasting Act and Broadcasting

Distribution Regulations:

i The Broadcasting Act requires distributors to give

priority to the carriage of Canadian programming

services and, in particular, to the carriage of local

Canadian stations

(Broadcasting Act, SC 1991 c11, s 5.2(e)).

ii The Broadcasting Distribution Regulations state

that, except as otherwise provided under a

condition of its licence, a licensee shall ensure, in

respect of each of analog and digital technology,

that a majority of each of the video and audio

programming services that are received by a

subscriber are devoted to the distribution of

Canadian programming services

(Broadcasting Distribution Regulations,

SOR/97-555).

iii The Broadcasting Distribution Regulations forbid

undue preference to any person, including itself,

or subject any person to an undue disadvantage

(Broadcasting Distribution Regulations,

SOR/97-555).

4.5 The fact that Sun News, oering 100% Canadi

programming, is only being distributed in 4 o

10 households raises the question: In the case

Sun News, are BDUs living up to their obligatio

promote Canadian content?

4.6 The low-level of distribution of Sun News is m

more oensive by the fact that English Canadi

broadly oer hundreds of channels that are fo

primarily feature content, including a number

all-news channels. In cases such as with Telus

Sun News isnt even oered at all. In the case o

BDU, Rogers, Sun News even found itself repla

the dial by the new Rogers owned City News C

4.7 Granting Sun News Network a 9(1)(h) order wo

a clear message to distributors that their oblig

Canadian content are not mere words on a pa

4.8 Sun News also recognizes that a 9(1)(h) order

of a present day remedy than a long-term solu

Thats why we have suggested a 5-year limit fo

distribution order. This is consistent with the re

ruling on The Weather Channel and MtoM

where the Commission noted that the rapidly

broadcasting landscape made it appropriate

issue the mandatory distribution order only fo

limited time (also ve years)

(Broadcasting Order CRTC 2009-340).

3. Strong Role For The CRTC

1.1 As the guardians of the Broadcasting Act, the CRTC

has been entrusted with ensuring these objectives are

met. To help them in this task the Commission has been

given extraordinary powers to intervene when necessary

to ensure the Act is enforced. The Act states the

broadcasting system should be regulated in a manner

that: facilitates the provision of Canadian programs to

Canadians (Broadcasting Act, SC 1991, c 11, s 5.2(e)).

3.2 Among the extraordinary powers available to the CRTC is

to require a channel to be distributed under section

9(1)(h) of the Act.

3.3 A power the public supports. Despite the many changes

to the Canadian television market over the last decade,

support for the CRTC to play an active role remains

strong.

4. 9(1)(h) as a Last Resort

FIGURE 4.1

64.0% of Canadians thin

the CRTC should play amore active role in ensuCanadian television channow owned by Rogers, Sand Bell are distributed

66% of Canadians think tha

new Canadian televisionall-news channels should bgiven a similar advantage toallow them to compete witCBC News and CTV News.

Fig. 5.7 p 25. Cable News and the Cable and Satellite Industry.

Abacus Data Inc. 2012 AABBAACCUUSS DDATATAA

n this newenvironmenthe CRTC has

an importantole to play in

ensuring channelshat broadcast00% Canadianontent are made

available in thebasic package.

54%

A Majority of

Canadians Agree

54% OF CANADIANS AGREE

GURE 3.1:

FIGURE 3.2: Intervention #2064; Beverly Miller o Dundas, ON

TC Mandate or Basic Cable and Satellite Television

s. Abacus Data Inc. 2013 A B ACU S D ATA


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5.1 Several interveners raise the question if Sun News qualies

for 9(1)(h) status for meeting the measures laid out in 3(1)(d) of

the Broadcasting Act.

5.2 A more fulsome response was already provided in our

Supplementary Brief and Deciencies Letter. However, it is

worth pointing out the measure of whether any given channel

serves to safeguard, enrich and strengthen the cultural, political,

social and economic fabric of Canada is inherently a subjective

one (Broadcasting Act, SC 1991, c 11, 3.1 (d)(i)). In a pluralistic,

democratic country, achieving agreement on such a measure is

impossible for it will always be in the eye

of the beholder.

5.3 Despite the subjective nature of the measures laid out in

3(1)(d) of the Broadcasting Act, it is absolutely clear that SunNews and other Canadian news channels by the very nature of

their content do as well.

5.4 In the case of Sun News, 53,000 Canadians signed a petition in

support of our channel, and thousands more wrote personal

letters to the CRTC describing why they love Sun News and how

it reects their values and view of Canada. For a new channel

which only 38% of the public has even heard of, with very limited

distribution, this is an astounding gure.

5.5 How many more Canadians would feel this passionately

about Sun News if they knew it existed and had an

opportunity to watch?

5.6 Sun News has also sparked strong emotions amongst some

Canadians opposed to its broadcasts. Close to 20,000

Canadians signed a petition to say Sun News does not reect

their values or view of Canada. Many of those who wrote to

the CRTC in opposition explicitly called for the network

to be shut down.

5.7 We submit that the silencing of voices in the media, in the way

suggested by these opponents, runs counter to both freedomof speech and freedom of the press. Moreover, having a

government agency take action to shut down a media outlet

because it had provided a forum for views held by millions of

Canadians would be a dangerous and undemocratic act.

5.8 It is impossible for any single media outlet, regardless of its size,

to reect the views of all Canadians. Canada is a far too large

and diverse country for that. Many Canadians would not see the

CBC as passing the test of 3(1)(d) if the question was posed in

relation to their programming, but they would be wrong.

5. Does Sun News Qualify for 9(1)(h)?

he newsmedia in

anada isominated by aw voices whol think alike.

23%

57%

% OF CANADIANS AGREE

OF CANADIANS DISAGREE

5.9 We submit that news programming by its very nature

touches on all criteria laid out in 3(1)(d). For example, Sun

News has spent a large amount of time covering aboriginal

issues, has been the only broadcaster to provide special

live coverage of election results in Manitoba, Alberta and

Saskatchewan, and has brought a wide range of stories

from Quebec to a wider audience in English Canada. E zra

Levants special series on the far North still stands as one

of the highest rated broadcasts since the launch of

the network.

5.10 Sun News, by and large, does not cover the same stories

being carried by CTV News Channel and CBC News

Network, and when it does it generally covers them in a

dierent manner. Nor are the opinions and voices found

on the network the same as those found elsewhere. Thatuniqueness gives voice to millions of Canadians that dont

see their own Canada reected in the television news

options on the dial today.

5.11 Therefore, it is our belief that a vibrant, diverse

of Canadian news channels not only serves con

well, but also strengthens our democracy. It en

stories are told and more voices are heard.

Sun oers a needed alternativemainstream media in Canada. commentators such as Ezra LevBrian Lilley, Michael Coren an

Charles Adler cover cross counnews events with insights you wnd anywhere else.

FIGURE 5.2:

Provincial Breakdown o Signatures Collected on CanadianTvFirst.ca

FIGURE 5.1:

Intervention #2082; Thomas Rooney o Ottaw

p 5. Cable News and the Cable and Satellite

. Abacus Data Inc. 2012 A B ACU S D ATA

URE 5.1:


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1 In the early days of cable, the CRTC had to balance

consumer demand for popular US programming, and

its mandate to distribute Canadian television in a the

context of a very limited dial. But with the advent of

digital cable and satellite technology, the CRTC saw a

solution to this problem. The near innite bandwidth

of digital meant the problem of carrying Canadian

channels would be greatly alleviated.

2 Sun News believes bandwidth is, and always has been

precious. And it has been central to almost every

decision the CRTC has made with respect to Canadian

content.

3 While the CRTC moved to a more laissez-faire approach

to digital distribution, it was done predicated on

BDUs living up to their commitments under the Act todistribute Canadian channels. After all, the new digital

world would eliminate the bandwidth restrictions that

had long been used as an excuse for not doing so.

6.4 Back in 1996, the CRTC laid out rules around television

distribution (Public Notice CRTC 1996-60). The notice

laid out as a Guiding Principle the following:

As a undamental principle, distribution

undertakings must give priority to the

distribution o the services o licensed

Canadian programming undertakings.

Accordingly, the Commission considers that

the access rules should include a general

requirement that a broadcasting distribution

undertaking distribute the services o

all licensed Canadian programmingundertakings appropriate or its market.

In this context, the services o licensed

programming undertakings should be

given priority over the services o exempt

programming undertakings.

6.5 In a later ruling, Commissioner Andre Wylie was even

blunter about the intent of CRTC 1996-60:

The Commissions intent was to ensure, by

regulation, transparently air and equitable

access or Canadian programming services,

in recognition o the continued dominant, and

in many cases the monopoly, power o the

cable industry in the distribution o Canadian

video programming.

(http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1996/PB96-120.htm)

. Move to Digital

I currentlty subscribe to theTelus cable network in Alberta,as part of a package thatincludes, as well, phone line andInternet service. For some timeI have been very frustrated thatTelus does not carry Sun News... I fnd it incomprehensible that

I get a whole slew of AmericanNews Channels (most of whichI have no interest in watchtin),but cannot receive the fullcomplement of Canadian newschannels.

I currentlty subscribe to theTelus cable network in Alberta,as part of a package thatincludes, as well, phone line andInternet service. For some timeI have been very frustrated thatTelus does not carry Sun News... I fnd it incomprehensible that


I currently subscribe to theTelus cable network in Alberta,as part of a package thatincludes, as well, phone line andInternet service. For some timeI have been very frustrated thatTelus does not carry Sun News... I fnd it incomprehensible that


FIGURE 6.1:

Intervention #654; Ron Voss o Cochrane, AB

FIGURE 6.2

BDUs OFFER MANY NON-CANADIAN

AND FOREIGN CHANNELS AS PART OF BASIC CABLE

FIGURE 6.2

BDUs OFFER MANY NON-CANADIAN

AND FOREIGN CHANNELS AS PART OF BASIC CABLE


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7.8 There is certainly much cause for the CRTC to be

concerned on behalf of both content producers and

consumers that can be found in the interventions made

against Sun News.

7.9 While Telus may feel their news pack is already

crowded, that doesnt change their obligations under

the Broadcasting Act. Their decision to list RTV (an

English language Russian television channel) as a part

of their basic package while saying there is no room for

channels oering 100% Canadian content is, to use their

words, self-serving and disingenuous.

7.10 Moreover, the assertion of MTS Allstream that there is

little interest in Sun News on the part of their customers

strains credibility, and is countered by the market

research data we have already provided to the CRTC.

Sun News operates a studio in Winnipeg and has as a

host Charles Adler, one of the most popular broadcast

personalities in the province. Sun News is also the only

news channel to oer extensive coverage of the recent

Manitoba election campaign, including an election-

night special that was broadcast coast-to-coast.

7.11 In addition to being given inadequate distribution,

BDUs are paying a fraction of the price for Sun News

that other (in many cases their own) news channels

receive. As gure 8.2 demonstrates, Sun News is asking

for a fraction of the average price paid for other English

language Canadian all-news channels.

7.12 The suggestion by Rogers that Sun News oe

same service as CBC and CTV ignores the obv

unique nature of the story selection and edito

commentary oered by our channel. And it is

the point with respect to the distribution of ch

containing 100% Canadian content.

p 5. CRTC Mandate or Basic Cable and Satellite Television

Abacus Data Inc. 2013

It is safe to say that in 1996, the CRTC had not

contemplated a future where the private broadcast

industry would be consumed by cable and satellite

distributors.

The takeover of CTV by Bell, Global by Shaw and CityTV

by Rogers has dramatically altered the television market

in Canada. It would be folly to not take a second look at

the intent of prior CRTC rulings in this context.

Research shows that Canadians would agree.

Consumers are skeptical that that these acquisitions by

cable and satellite companies have improved choice.

With respect to preferential treatment, 79% of

Canadians believe that cable and satellite companiesfavour their own channels over those they dont own.

Given Rogers treatment of Sun News, they have good

reason to hold that belief.

In fact, it is an argument that Bell brought forward

with respect to City News Channel when it came

to the CRTC for a licence, stating: Given Rogers

dominant position in the broadcast distribution sector

in Ontario, licensing the proposed service would give

it an overwhelming advantage over competitors. In

a fully digital world, Rogers will be able to guarantee

its CITY News service preferential channel placement,

widespread distribution as part of digital basic and

signicant subscriber revenues. Such a result would

be highly detrimental to CP24 (https://services.

crtc.gc.ca/pub/ListeInterventionList/Documents.

aspx?ID=72402&Lang=e).

The use of free market rhetoric on the part of Telus

and MTS, both former crown corporations whose

businesses were established on the basis of government

sanctioned monopolies, is particularily ironic.

In their intervention Rogers suggests, that there are

already two Canadian national all-news channels

being distributed. The clearly stated objective of the

Broadcast Act, backed by hundreds of rulings, public

notices and statements by the CRTC, is to encourage

MORE Canadian programming.

A Radically New Market

Te concentration o contentcapacity in the hands o thechie carriers, Bell, Shaw, Rog-ers and the status o Rogers,Bell and elus as the chie cellphone concerns in the country presage a degree o concen-tration o content and deliverythat is unlike that in any other

serious country in the world.

Conrad Black,Feb. 22, 2013 National Post

Tose o us who hold out hopeor a true multiplicity o voices or, say, a true le-leaningnews and opinion channel,which Canada lacks - shouldthink about supporting Sun

this time around.

Simon Houpt,Jan. 25, 2013 Globe and Mail

Eight in ten Canadians, surveyed by Abacus Data, agreed that the ch

in ownership will lead to cable and satellite companies favouringown channels overs those that they do not own.

Abacus Data asked Canadiathe aquisitions by cable andsatellite companieshas impchoice or consumers?

ONLY 22% AGR

AABBAACCUUSS DDATATAA

TotalMarket

100%

0

FIGURE 7.3

FIGURE 7.2

FIGURE 7.1

FIGURE 7.2

AB ACUSDATAp 6. CRTC Mandate or Basic Cable and Satellite Television Services. Abacus Data Inc. 2013


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8.1 A number of interveners have pointed out that

the licence granted to CTV News Channel was

not identical to that which was granted to CBC

News Network when it launched. While this is

technically true, even Bell concedes in its own

submission that CTV News Channel did have

mandatory distribution when it was rst licensed

(Bell Media Intervention #12644, par. 20).

8.2 The names and classications of CRTC licences

have evolved over time, as has the cable/satellite

distribution market. This makes perfect apples

to apples comparisons impossible. As such we

suggest a more binary, real-world test: Did the

licence granted by the CRTC result in carriage ofthe channel as a part of the basic package -

yes or no.

8.3 In the case of CTV News Channel the answer is

clearly yes as it was with other channels,

such as HGTV, TreeHouse, The Comedy Network,

that were granted similar licences at that time.

8.4 Bell goes on to say this was not preferential

treatment because it was simply a function of

the regulatory rules at the time

(Intervention #12644).

8.5 We have never suggested CTV News Channel

or CBC News Network received inappropriate or

unduly favorable treatment under the rules at the

time, rather we state the obvious: the regulatory

environment they launched into was more

favorable to that which exists for us today.

8.6 There is no doubt that CTV News Channel would

never have launched, without a licence that

included mandatory distribution. And there is nodoubt that they would not have survived had they

not been distributed across the board.

8. The CTV News Channel Licence

FIGURE 8.1: PM Jean Chrtien joins CTV News1 or their launch FIGURE 8.3: Intervention #4157: Cynthia Bredeltt o Carleton Place, ON

SomeBDUs

pay6forS

FIGURE 8.2: News Channel Per Month Subscription Fees or English Canada

PerMonthSubscriptionFee


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1 Included in the interventions against Sun News was

a survey commissioned by the Strategic Council and

referenced by a number of BDUs. For example, Eastlink

used the data to conclude: Canadian consumers are

increasingly frustrated with regulations that force them

to take and pay for services that they do not want.

2 It is important to note that for the most part it is not

any sort of regulations that force customers to take

and pay for channels that they do not want. Like most

cable and satellite providers (with the notable exception

of Videotron) Eastlink bundles channels. Eastlink

oers 31 dierent bundles meaning if you want The

Golf Channel in HD you also have to pay for 16 other

channels ranging from the World Fishing Network to

ESPN Classics Canada as part of the Sports 1 package.

3 Its not just channels mandated by the CRTC that are

included in basic packages right now.

4 Including channels in the basic oering is clearly about

choice for the distributor.

5 The Strategic Council also asked Canadians whether

they support or oppose adding a number of new

channels to the basic tier along with the cost proposed

in the various applications. Not surprisingly their

ndings, seen in Figure 9.2, show that Canadians are

no more interested in paying specically for new

channels than they are for ones that are currently there.

6 To make a direct comparison, Abacus Data closely

replicated the methodology used by the Strategic

Council to test channels that are a part of the Shaw,

Rogers and Telus basic packages to gauge support in

the same way done for Sun News and other applicants.

7 This Abacus Data survey, seen in Figure 9.3 fromAppendix A, clearly negates the point brought forth

by some that Sun News is less worthy than others who

came before them or less equal to those who are there

now.

8 This raises a simple and straightforward question: if Sun

News were to be added to a BDUs basic cable package

why could they not simply remove a narrow-casted

foreign specialty channel to make room for it? This

would mean no additional cost to customers.

9.9 It should be noted again that Canadians strongly favour

a pick-and-pay model like the one used by Videotron.

This approach does not exist in most of the country.

9.10 Beyond the package model, a more troubling concern

exists for customers looking to pick-up a channel

not oered by their current provider: switching is a

daunting task. As bundling of services becomes a

more common practice, 72% of customers say Canadas

telecom companies make it very dicult to change an

individual service to get a TV channel or mobile device

not oered by your existing provider.

9.11 Beyond the packaging, there is another big challenge

to consumer choice. Millions of Canadians have chosento package their television, mobile and internet services

with a single BDU. Many of these contracts are multi-

year and involve signicant cancellation penalties. This

makes the option of changing providers in order to get

a single channel, like Sun News, a completely

unrealistic option.

. Where This Meets Consumers

the bundling o services ... makesit very difcult to ... get a V channelor mobile device not oered by yourexisting provider.

72%

AGREE

8%

DISAGREE

FIGURE 9.2: Support or Mandatory Distribution o Each Channel at Specifed Cost

FIGURE 9.3: Support or Each Channel at Cost o 18

p 9. CRTC Mandate or Basic Cable and Satellite Television Services.

Abacus Data Inc. 2013 AABBAACC UUSS DDATATAA

p 16. CRTC Mandate or Basic Cable and Satellite Television Services. Abacus Data Inc. 2013 AABBAACCUUSS DDATATAA

Intervention #12696 - p 18. Subscriber Assessments o Mandatory Distribution,The Strategic Counsel. 2013

FIGURE 9.1:


12/15

I am grateful to haveCanadian News Net

that reports on the tthat are closest to mheart and home anddoes so without prejcensorhip or politicacorrectness.

10.1 A number of individual interventions made

complaints about the editorial nature of content

aired on Sun News. From a complaint about Charles

Adlers skepticism on climate change to concerns

about Ezras ringside commentary during the

Trudeau/Brazeau ght, Sun News has elded its

share of grievances.

10.2 Sun News is a member in good standing of the

Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC), the

body that arbitrates complaints of this nature on

behalf of the CRTC and Canadian broadcasters. Sun

News abides by the same codes of decency and

journalistic ethics that all CBSC members adhere to.

10.3 Since launch, the CBSC has received 6,963complaints from individuals and made rulings on 30

dierent broadcast events. The CBSC has ruled in

favor of Sun News in all but two of these cases, after

which Sun News complied with the remedy outlined

in the CBSC ruling.

10.4 With respect to individual complaints, it is worth

noting that 6,676 of these complaints were related

to a single interview that Sun News anchor Krista

Erickson had with Canadian dancer Margie Gillis.

The CBSC ruled in favor of Sun News in this case.

10.5 Of the two cases that Sun News lost, one was

with respect to inappropriate language used by

a host (Sun News host Ezra Levants use of the

phrase Chianga tu madre), and the second was

an error of fact relating to public housing for

artists in Edmonton. In the second case, Sun News

voluntarily corrected the error as soon as it was

brought to our attention, well in advance of

the CBSC ruling.

10.6 Like every media organization in the world, from

time-to-time Sun News makes a mistake. The sign

of a condent media outlet is one that is willing to

make corrections and endeavor to rectify mistakes

so they do not happen again. In this light, when

we believe we have made an error or violatedthe CBSCs codes, we have voluntarily issued a

correction and apology. For example, we did this

proactively in the case of comments made on The

Source in relation to the Roma people.

10. The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council

Margie Gillisrelated complaints

Total requests forrulings by CSBC

Total requests forreview of CBSCrulings by CRTC

Total rulings in whichCBSC found breach bySun News

Complaints sincelaunch (excludingGillis complaints)

More and more news managers are adoptinphilosophy that goes something like this: Weputting out a daily product under erce dead

pressures. Mistakes are inevitable. No longer willpretend we are inallible; were not. Its crucial or

credibility to admit we make mistakes o all ki

every day. And we are willing to correct our erro

- Alicia C. ShepFormer AJR senior writer and NPR ombuds

FIGURE 10.1: Breakdown o CBSC Complaints Directed to Sun News NetworkFIGURE 10.3

Intervention: Kevin, Paul and K

Beasley o Peterborough, ON

I am grateful to havCanadian News Ne

that reports on the that are closest to mheart and home andoes so without precensorship or politicorrectness.

FIGURE 10.2


13/15

1.1 One intervention was made by a radical US-based

political group operating under the name Avaaz.

Previous campaigns by Avaaz included a political

campaign where they targeted Conservative Cabinet

Minister John Baird. They have also conducted a

massive campaign against Rupert Murdoch, CEO of

Newscorp, in an apparent attempt to have Fox News

and other Newscorp holdings shut down.

1.2 While this is relatively harmless, run-of-the-mill

political activism, the campaigns this group have

run against the state of Israel would be considered

concerning to many Canadians.

11.3 Various points raised in their brief have been

addressed in other areas of our response, but it is

clear: Avaazs motivation is ideological, and their goal

is to shut down Sun News permanently. The view

that voices you disagree with should be silenced is

markedly un-Canadian. It runs counter to our Charter

of Rights and counter to the proud history of our

country.

1. Foreign Interventions

YANKEE

GO HOME


14/15

12.1 We humbly encourage the Commission to look to the

Broadcasting Act when considering our application.

For we believe the case for Sun News is spelled out in

both the letter and the spirit of the law.

12.2 We also humbly encourage the CRTC to keep the

following questions in mind as it deliberates on our

application:

12.3 Clearly, we do not believe the BDUs have acted

in good faith with respect to their treatment of

Sun News, nor do we believe they have met their

obligations under the Broadcasting Act.

12.4 It is unfortunate that we have come to the point

where the only way to rectify this situation is for the

CRTC to exercise its power in granting 9(1)(h) status to

Sun News for a period of 5 years.

12.5 We believe in granting this request the CRTC will

ensure Canadian consumers will have a proper chance

to view Sun News and judge it for themselves. Wealso believe it will send a strong message to BDUs

that they are expected to fulll their obligations under

the Broadcasting Act with respect to the distribution

of Canadian programming.

12. Conclusion

The truth o the matter is th

The Sun News Network

VERY capable o competin

on an even playing eld

and thats the problem to tho

who would oppose them

My husband served this gre

Nation or 30 years as a

Air Force Ofce

I served 20 years as a

Air Force Ofce

His son is in his 16th ye

o Service as an Army Ofce

Wtake the DEFENCE O

FREOM VERYSERIOUSL

The truth o the matter is t

The Sun News Networ

VERY capable o compet

on an even playing el

and thats the problem to th

who would oppose th

My husband served this gr

Nation or 30 years as

Air Force Of

I served 20 years as

Air Force Of

His son is in his 16th y

o Service as an Army Of

Weake the DEFENCE

REEDOM VERYSERIOUS

The truth o the matter is th

The Sun News Network

VERY capable o competi

on an even playing eld

and thats the problem to tho

who would oppose the

Danielle T. Smi

Major, Re

Intervention #18

CanadianTvFirst.caFIGU

i Have the BDUs met their obligations under

3(1)(t)(i) of the Act to give priority to the carriage

of Canadian programming in the case

of Sun News?

ii Did Rogers show undue preference by removing

Sun News from their basic package, and giving

their dial position to their own all-news channel?

iii When the CRTC moved to a more deregulated

model for digital television, was it done in

a dramatically dierent market, and on the

assumption that the additional bandwidth would

make it easier for channels broadcasting 100%

Canadian content to be listed?

iv Does the CRTC believe the channels that are

included in the basic package of various BDUs in

English Canada reect the interests of consumers,

or the interests of the BDU?

v In a market where the bundling of wireless, internet

and television services is commonplace, is it

realistic that consumers will change BDUs in order

to receive a channel their current BDU

isnt oering?

vi Do the contents of the basic package reect the

objectives laid out in the Broadcasting Act with

respect to the distribution of

Canadian programming?

My husband served this gre

Nation or 30 years as

Air Force Ofc

I served 20 years as

Air Force Ofc

His son is in his 16th ye

o Service as an Army Ofc

We take the deence

reedom very serious


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