CRTC issues finding regarding RDS, TVA Sports
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has issued a finding stating that Bell Media has given an “undue preference” to its sports specialty service RDS and an “undue disadvantage” to TVA Sports, a property of TVA Group. According to the finding, the disparity in advantage is due to Bell not including TVA Sports in its most popular cable subscription package, while RDS is included. The CRTC has directed Bell Canada and Bell ExpressVu to include TVA Sports in the same package as RDS by Feb. 5. TVA Group is a subsidiary of Quebecor Media.
"The commission finds that Bell has conferred an undue preference upon RDS, its discretionary sports service, and has subjected the service TVA Sports to an undue disadvantage by packaging the two services in a different manner,” said the finding in part. “The preference and disadvantage are undue since they have caused a material adverse impact on TVA Group and on the achievement of objectives of the Broadcasting Act.”