Sun News changes tactics, pleads with CRTC for charity
When last we looked, Sun News was trying to convince the CRTC that it deserved a Class 1 broadcasting licence—the kind that would require cable and satellite providers to include the channel in their basic package (it’s basically a licence to print money). The problem is that the CRTC isn’t giving those out anymore and is, in fact, taking them away from CBC News Network, CTV News and other networks that already have them. In its latest filing, Quebecor (the parent company of Sun News TV) has instead asked the CRTC for a Class 2 licence, with a special favour: it would still like the government to force cable and satellite providers to put their network on the menu, but only for three years, and subscribers wouldn’t be forced to watch it, Clockwork Orange style.
The CBC has the story:
That does not mean it wants cable and satellite companies to be forced to carry the new channel, Quebecor said, just to give viewers the choice to add it to their TV package — without any obligation to do so.
“We are interested in not being locked out of the market, but we are interested in consumer choice,” said Kory Teneycke, vice-president in charge of developing Sun TV News. “We don’t want to force anyone to have to take the channel.”
Teneycke, the former communications director for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, made the comments Wednesday as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said it would review the Sun TV News broadcast licence application at a Nov. 19 hearing.
This kind of pleading is a bit of a departure from Teneycke’s previously cocky attitude; back in July, he boasted that, regulator be damned, “We’ll get exactly what we’re asking for at the end of the day.”
We hope this reversal doesn’t take the wind out of the sails over at Sun HQ. Sure, some of Canada’s best talents have opted to stay at the CBC, and the national regulator isn’t doling out favours, but Canada needs a conservative outlet. Otherwise, Tories in this country would only have the National Post. And the Sun papers. And the PMO.
• Quebecor wants Sun TV News on cable, satellite [CBC News]
• Quebecor Not Giving Up On Application For Must-Carry Sun TV News [The Wire Report]
• Sun News TV filing [CRTC]
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/sun-news-changes-tactics-pleads-with-crtc-for-charity/&title=Sun News changes tactics, pleads with CRTC for charity&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/header-banner-sunnews.png&description=[caption id="attachment_37488" align="alignleft" width="235" caption="We're number two: Sun News TV goes for a Class 2 licence"][/caption]
When last we looked, Sun News was trying to convince the CRTC that it deserved a Class 1 broadcasting licence—the kind that would require cable and satellite providers to include the channel in their basic package (it’s basically a licence to print money). The problem is that the CRTC isn't giving those out anymore and is, in fact, taking them away from CBC News Network, CTV News and other networks that already have them. In its latest filing, Quebecor (the parent company of Sun News TV) has instead asked the CRTC for a Class 2 licence, with a special favour: it would still like the government to force cable and satellite providers to put their network on the menu, but only for three years, and subscribers wouldn't be forced to watch it, Clockwork Orange style.
The CBC has the story:
That does not mean it wants cable and satellite companies to be forced to carry the new channel, Quebecor said, just to give viewers the choice to add it to their TV package — without any obligation to do so.
"We are interested in not being locked out of the market, but we are interested in consumer choice," said Kory Teneycke, vice-president in charge of developing Sun TV News. "We don't want to force anyone to have to take the channel."
Teneycke, the former communications director for Prime Minister Stephen Harper, made the comments Wednesday as the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said it would review the Sun TV News broadcast licence application at a Nov. 19 hearing.
This kind of pleading is a bit of a departure from Teneycke’s previously cocky attitude; back in July, he boasted that, regulator be damned, "We’ll get exactly what we’re asking for at the end of the day.”
We hope this reversal doesn't take the wind out of the sails over at Sun HQ. Sure, some of Canada's best talents have opted to stay at the CBC, and the national regulator isn't doling out favours, but Canada needs a conservative outlet. Otherwise, Tories in this country would only have the National Post. And the Sun papers. And the PMO.
• Quebecor wants Sun TV News on cable, satellite [CBC News]
• Quebecor Not Giving Up On Application For Must-Carry Sun TV News [The Wire Report]
• Sun News TV filing [CRTC]){kind=link}
This must be that tory channel I heard about.
Just another big corporate welfare bum asking the government to force again the taxpayer to subsidize their pet project! Whatever happened to the good old private entrepreneur who made it on its own with a quality product that people would pay to buy? On another matter, the CRTC should be put to rest. Other than force the consumer in buying cable/satellite programs that we do not want or care for, what has the CRTC done for you lately!
I want a counter news balance that sorely needed in this over regulated, Liberal created nanny state…TV News outlets are so tabloid and boringly politically correct, I cringe after watching more than a minute of any one of them…Meaningless, useless and unimportant to 99% of the population is all you see: Constant news about animals (Bears, cats, dogs etc…) or little baby smoking cigarettes in Asia or the weather in somewhereland…Give me news that might affect my life directly like tax increase schemes a la McGuinty ecotax of late for example, did anyone know from watching TV about this? I found out on the internet like most of the stuff that truly matters.
SUN TV cannot be any worse than the mediocrity we have now.
Regretfully, the author does not have his facts exactly right. He incorrectly sates that SunTV has asked to be included in the basic service.
The original application was for a so-called “Category 1” licence. That would not require cable operators to put it in basic, but would require them to carry it, and package it attractively. It still amounts to a licence to print money, as Rogers Shaw, Bell et al would undoubtedly put it in a package with other news services — a package that the majority of subscribers buy.
The new application is for a so-called “General Interest News” licence. The cablecos are not forced to carry all such licences, and if they do choose to carry them, does not guarantee favourable packaging. The twist is that SunTV wants exactly the status that a Category-1 licence would give them, ie, must-carry and favourable packaging, but only for 3 years. The very nerve of these guys!
Of course, the Quebecor-owned Videotron will be ordered by the boss to carry the SunTV news service on good terms. But sadly, Videotron only operates in Quebec and there aren’t enough anglos there to support the service. He needs to extract money from anglos across canada in order to make the tons of money to which he thinks he is entitled.
Some say that Quebecor is a supporter of the separatists in Quebec. They suggest that SunTV to try to appeal to the knuckle-draggers in the ROC to stir up anti-Quebec sentiment to help him plot the next neverendum in Quebec.
What the critics don’t talk about is the overwhelming Liberal and leftist nature of the media in this country. The right needs a voice for the sake of balance and for that reason alone should be granted the license with no objections whatsoever. That the license is being blocked is the bully tactics of the control system to maintain the status quo whereby the old guard continues to profit on our backs.
The 3-year term requested is also identical to the previous version. I cannot see anything different about this application than the one previously reported, except that instead of saying “Category 1 for three years” they say “Category 2 with mandatory access for three years”. Which is exactly the same thing.
Bud is not quite right. A Category 1 licence is not a licence to print money. It’s better than a Category 2 licence, as the BDU can’t threaten to kick you off the service entirely. But the BDU can still decide not to make you available except in a very unpopular tier. In fact, that’s happened to some Category 1 services.
Wow, I plan to protest them coming into our country as much as possible. That, or I am starting my very own Daily Show so I can spend all of my time debasing their illogical and abusive argument style.
Give them the channel.
No special carriage, they are promoters of competiton so they do not need it.
While at it, get rid of all ‘must carry cable channels’.
I got rid of cable, at first I missed it – now I do not!
We get out TV off air and it is all HD; except TVO.
Nothing good can come of a Sun News channel. They’re blatantly going to be polarizing our news media, like FOX News does in the US. Our Canadian news channels are very centrist and actually practice objective journalism. But when reality doesn’t agree with right wing ideologies, it’s labeled liberal media. Real journalism has no bias.