Canadians disappointed in CRTC decision to approve Big Media Bell’s power-grab of Astral Media

Takeover will mean lost jobs, higher prices, and less media choice – it’s time for government to take clear action to tackle Big Media dominance, says OpenMedia.ca

This was the second time in less than a year that big media company Bell attempted to take over Astral – they launched their second attempt shortly after their first bid was refused by the CRTC last October. OpenMedia.ca believes the ‘second kick of the can’ strategy that Bell launched so quickly after their first denial is unprecedented, and that the CRTC should never have dealt with the matter before revisiting and revamping the tools it has to deal with a transaction of this size.

“This decision is bad news for Canada, because allowing yet more concentration in our media market will act as a dead weight on our economy,” says OpenMedia.ca Executive Director Steve Anderson. “Canada already has the most concentrated media market in the G8, and it’s time for the government to take clear action to tackle this problem before Canada falls even further behind. Canadians need more media and telecom choice not more big telecom coddling by regulators.”

In recent years hundreds of thousands of Canadians have spoken out about the control big telecom companies like Bell have over our communications choices and pricing through OpenMedia.ca’s web tools.

Canadians can tell the government that it’s time to take urgent action against media concentration by speaking out at http://openmedia.ca/takeover.

About OpenMedia.ca

OpenMedia.ca is a network of people and organizations working to safeguard the possibilities of the open Internet. We work toward informed and participatory digital policy.

Through campaigns such as StopTheMeter.ca and StopSpying.ca, OpenMedia.ca has engaged over half-a-million Canadians, and has influenced public policy and federal law.

About the Stop The Takeover Coalition

The Stop the Takeover Coalition comprises public interest groups and industry players who came together, based on a set of common principles, to oppose the proposed takeover of Astral Media by Bell and to promote public engagement through the Stop the Takeover campaign.

Contact

David Christopher
Communications Coordinator, OpenMedia.ca
1-778-232-1858
[email protected]

More information:

OpenMedia.ca submission to the CRTC: Final written comments on Bell's reattempted acquisition of Astral Media
OpenMedia.ca submission to the CRTC: Comments on Bell's reattempted acquisition of Astral Media
Consumers and Public Interest Groups Oppose Bell-Astral Merger (PIAC; August 9, 2012)
Canadians to CRTC: Bell Takeover of Astral is Bad for Canada (Stop the Takeover Coalition; August 28, 2012)
Bell's Bid Take-Over Astral Encounters Mounting Opposition: Interview on the Lang and O'Leary Exchange (Dwayne Winseck; August 18, 2012)