Nice that you can apply for a licence when you have absolutely nothing to show for it. The company hasn't even yet been formed let alone named. I suspect this is a hedge play. The holder has obtained this licence to keep out other players unless they are willing to buy his licence. Free enterprise at its worst? Best?
Note that this doesn't always work. The guys who owned the HD only channels a few years ago applied for licences for a range of specialty services that never saw the light of day (fortunately). Not one of the channels has seen the light of day so far.
Maybe they do now but not so earlier. There were dozens of HD licences granted between 2005-2008 that never came to anything. It was clear that some people were grabbing licences on various subjects in the hope that they could make a killing when a serious programmer came along who wanted to offer programming on that subject. Some held onto the licence for years before giving up when they couldn't find a taker.
I'm not sure of your point.
For category C digital channels, there is very little basis for the CRTC to deny an application, especially for ethnic channels that do not compete with protected licensees.
I was talking about the fact that it would be of little use to apply for a channel for the sole purpose of selling it to someone else (either before launching, or within the first license term), since there would be very little likelihood of the CRTC approving the necessary license transfer application.
Although I 'm not that skilled in the CRTC 'ways" it appears to me other then the ethnic service from what I can tell they seem to approve any that comes across their desk.Though its very rare to see a ethnic service licensed to keep out the original one.
As for the English & French ones, not that much on the french licencing channels, but on the English side I don't know but in some case I know Broadcasters or personal owners just look for a licence to just keep out the US one, even though its a 80% to 20% chance of not getting the US one approved. In other cases I just seems "crazy" at some of the channels they approve for just approving them?
I can't say if these "crazy channel" have any chance of launching or getting picked up by some provider or if they'll even have sub base that I can't answer, but how many channels have been licensed since 1984 have either never launched or have but failed or shut down(not re-brand or replaced by another channel)?
I don't know but sometimes the CRTC is like just handing out candy at Halloween, but in this case its licenses.
It is perfectly reasonable for the CRTC to licence these and other channels. They are not requiring anyone to carry them or anyone to subscribe to them. This is the way it is supposed to work.
As noted above, the CRTC will generally not approve a transfer within the first term, so trafficking of licenses shouldn't happen.
The only thing they should do more effectively is hold the licencees to the format they are licenced to provide.
@jaxon .... Especially in the radio market. There was situation about twenty years ago in Toronto that I thought bordered on the absurd. Four different applicants applied to the CRTC for a licence for a new radio station. All intended to offer the same format which was also the format the CRTC wanted to licence because that format was not currently available in the local market. The applicant that won ran the format for about six months and then decided arbitrarily to change it completely. The CTRC barely blinked as it approved the change. I had to wonder why at that point the CRTC hadn't gone back to the three unsuccessful applicants to see if any off them were still interested in continuing the original format instead of letting the current holder make a really drastic change.
@reidw. I agree. You mentioned a situation in Toronto. In Vancouver, the best example was C-JAZ. Licenced as a jazz format, because it was a unique, underserved genre. The format did not last long on the station.
Personally I think the CRTC should "force" the Licencee to launch,. If a broadcaster or person obtains a licence and its the same as a US version they should be forced to launch. The CRTC should say to the licencee that you have until the end of your licence to launch and no extensions on your licence if not the US one will be automatically approved for carriage in Canada. If you launch your channel and then change formats again the US one will be re-automatically approved for coverage in Canada.
I can almost bet you you'll see channels launching and no re-branding of channels.
Several posts discussing a-la-carte have been deleted because they are OT for this thread. Here's the a-la-carte thread for those interested in discussing that topic:
It think that the license should not remain exclusive until they commence operations.
Or have no regulatory genre protection. Leave the market to protect genres on its own, or be variety channels. which a lot of channels seem to be these days.
It seems Bell is now seeking to bring in ethnic channels? I wonder if this is a start of the "Ethnic Wars"(no pun intended) Rogers & Bell to see who can have the most ethnic services? Bell Fibe or Rogers Cable?
If you look at both Rogers & Bell Fibe they do carry extensive list of ethnic services.
From the CRTC release:
Anthem Media Group Inc., a corporation ultimately controlled by Leonard Asper
Leonard Asper(Asper family - Canwest/Global) is well known in the broadcast industry. Anthem also owns the Fight Network and a couple other online "broadcasting" endeavors.
Yes a small fry in the Canadian Broadcasting Industry, but perhaps not a no name.
Aspers already had an extreme sports channel before
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums
1.7M posts
114.9K members
Since 2001
A forum community dedicated to Canadian TV, computing and home theatre owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about home audio/video, displays, troubleshooting, styles, projects, DIY’s, product reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!