OpenMedia.ca celebrates arrival of Al Jazeera English in Canada but wants wider access

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 7, 2010

The OpenMedia.ca network celebrates the availability of the Al Jazeera English 24 hour global news service in Canada by three major broadcast distributors. However, barriers remain. Without specifically ordering AJE, Canadians will not see this vital news source, except with Quebec’s Videotron exemplary offerings.

A year ago OpenMedia.ca launched a campaign urging Canadians to contact the CRTC in support of Al Jazeera English’s (AJE) application to broadcast in Canada. Steve Anderson, OpenMedia.ca National Coordinator, says “The massive response OpenMedia.ca received in its campaign in favour of the global news network illustrates the high citizen demand for the award-winning news channel. Of the approximately 2,800 public comments submitted to the CRTC, all were in favour of AJE except 40 parties who filed comments in opposition to bringing the broadcaster to Canada.”

The three major distributors now offering AJE are Bell TV channel 516, Rogers channel 176, and Videotron illico Digital TV channel 173. Cable and satellite customers can learn more on how to order the new channel by visiting IWantAJE.net.

The best offering is from Videotron. It is giving customers a three month free preview of AJE from May 4 to August 4 and AJE is part of every package the company offers; in addition Videotron offers the newmchannel à la carte for only $2/month.

By contrast, Rogers is only offering AJE à la carte in a test phase for $2.79/month (claiming it will consider packages once there is high customer demand); it is not included in any of its themed packages; and it does not offer a free preview of the new channel. AJE is available at Bell TV à la carte for $3/month; it is also part of international news package (though Bell is not advertising this inclusion); and there is no free preview. In the West, Shaw is not carrying it as of now and Telus and AJE are still in negotiations.

Distributors need to take a number of actions so that Canadians can take advantage of this incredible opportunity in the improved quality and diversity of news coverage AJE offers Canadian citizens. OpenMedia.ca would like to see Rogers, Bell TV and other distributors follow Videotron’s lead and ensure that a majority of Canadians have easy access to Al Jazeera English. Canadians can help by requesting
Cable and Satellite companies take the following steps:

1) offer customers a free preview of Al Jazeera English

2) offer Al Jazeera not only à la carte or stand alone, but as part of themed packages such as news and learning packages, multicultural and other general and special packages

3) advertise the existence of the new channel on their website and other marketing endeavors

“It does not make sense to force Canadian customers who already pay for a huge number of channels to pay for AJE outside of any of these packages, especially news and other relevant themed packages,” says Anita Krajnc, campaigner for OpenMedia.ca

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For more information:

Anita Krajnc, Open.Media.ca campaigner
[email protected], cell: 416-825-6080

Steve Anderson, OpenMedia.ca National Coordinator -
[email protected], (604) 837-5730

OpenMedia.ca is a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization working to advance and support an open and innovative communications system in Canada.