CRTC APPROVES QUEBECOR'S ACQUISITION OF TVA, RENEWS TVA LICENCE
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has approved Quebecor Media's acquisition of Montreal-based Groupe TVA and renewed TVA's licence for seven years. However, the CRTC's approval has a number of conditions which Quebecor Media must meet before control of TVA can be transferred. Quebecor Media has until September 21 to sell TVA's TQS network to a third party not associated with Quebecor or its affiliates. The CRTC said a similar condition will apply to future cases in which the sale of other assets or business interests will be required to maintain a competitive environment. The commission also agreed to a number of proposals by Quebecor. TVA management will be kept separate from Quebecor Media's newspapers. No more than 40% of TVA's board of directors will be members of the boards of Quebecor, Quebecor Media or any other entity controlled by the either of the two. A number of conditions were also imposed on the renewal of TVA's licence including the denial of TVA's request to increase its paid advertising from 12 to 14 minutes per hour.