CRTC updates satellite television distribution policy
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has updated its satellite distribution policy to require Bell TV and Shaw Direct to carry all local television stations supported by the Local Programming Improvement Fund. As of September 1, these satellite carriers must carry 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. "Canadians in all markets should have access to their local television stations, regardless of how they receive their programming," said Konrad von Finckenstein, chairman of the CRTC. "The carriage of additional local stations will put satellite distributors on the same footing as cable companies and provide their subscribers with more choice in local news and information."