| The CRTC is seeking input from individual Canadians on the issue of compensation for the value of local TV signals.
It has opened a new website that is soliciting comments from the general public with guidance to focus the input under broad headings: Affordability of local TV; Choice in services; Access to local programming in a digital environment; and, Other issues. |
The website will be open until December 21.
I told Luann Lasalle of the Canadian Press that it isn’t surprising that so many of the early comments being filed are opposed to paying more.
Telecom analyst Mark Goldberg said asking consumers if they want to pay more automatically brings in a negative response.
“So unless there’s some real value being put forward, I don’t think that you need to canvass 30 million Canadians to ask them if they want to pay more for anything,” he said.
In the end, consumers will be in the driver’s seat, said Goldberg, of Toronto-area Mark Goldberg & Associates Inc. Telecommunications Consulting.
“We’re going to choose to watch whatever content we want when we want to. One way or another it’s available in various formats.”
A public hearing opens next Monday. It will be available by webcast and you can follow a number of us on Twitter – hash codes #crtc and #vfs.