CRTC Orders Bell TV and Shaw Direct to Carry Local Television Stations

A CRTC decision this week requires Bell TV and Shaw Direct to carry more local television stations by September 1, 2011. The new rules state that satellite distributors must offer: an affiliate of each national television network five English- and five French-language CBC stations; or as many CBC stations as are distributed from a private broadcasting group in either official language one television station per province from each major Canadian broadcasting ownership group, and

A CRTC decision this week requires Bell TV and Shaw Direct to carry more local television stations by September 1, 2011.

The new rules state that satellite distributors must offer:

• an affiliate of each national television network
• five English- and five French-language CBC stations; or as many CBC stations as are distributed from a private broadcasting group in either official language
• one television station per province from each major Canadian broadcasting ownership group, and
• two stations from each of the other Canadian broadcasting ownership groups.

Under the previous regulation, many satellite subscribers were unable to view their local television stations. This decision ensures that all stations supported by the Local Programming Improvement Fund will be carried. This will increase ad revenue for local stations and improve programming for communities.

While previously carrying this number of channels was not feasible, both Bell and Shaw have planned major upgrades to their broadcast infrastructure this year that will enable them to make these channels available.

Read more at The Wire Report and the CBC