Quebecor asks CRTC to make Bell include TVA Sports in its Bon TV package

Quebecor Inc. has filed a complaint with the CRTC against BCE Inc., alleging undue preference against its sports channel because it’s been excluded from a popular Bell TV package in Quebec. Quebecor filed a Part 1 application complaining TVA Sports is not available by default in Bell’s popular “Bon” TV bundle package in Quebec, while Bell’s own French-language sports service RDS is. The company is complaining Quebecers have to pay an extra $14 for TVA Sports to be added to the $42 ‘Bon’ package, while Bell’s own sports property is included by default. It alleges that contravenes section 9 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, which deals with undue preference, and is asking the CRTC to force Bell to include the channel in the package. Bell disputes that it’s broken any rules. Chart from Quebecor Inc.'s CRTC application depicting Bell package options that offer TVA Sports. Quebecor’s application, available only in French, says the results of excluding TVA Sports from the package have been “incontestably negative” and that not putting the channel in Bell’s most popular Quebec package deprived Quebecor of thousands of subscribers and “significant” revenues. Quebecor’s data and calculations were redacted in the documents, including how much it believes it potentially lost from the exclusion since ‘Bon’ launched in 2016. But it warns if it relied solely on the other currently available distribution packages from Bell -- Mieux and Meilleur -- the channel could not survive. A lawyer representing TVA sent Bell a letter last month outlining the issue. Bell’s reply, included in Quebecor’s CRTC application, argues it isn't obligated to put TVA in the package and that it isn’t contravening any law or regulatory measure. Bell’s letter said it was expressly agreed between the two parties that how Bell assembles and distributes TVA Sports in its packages is under its “sole discretion,” and said the issue about how the channel is distributed should instead be brought up in current commercial negotiations related to TVA Sports. The CRTC denied Quebecor’s request to expedite the process to deal with its complaint. “Commission staff does not consider it appropriate to further abbreviate the part 1 process’ already shortened deadlines,” the regulator said in a letter posted online Friday. “It appears that no substantial changes to the nature of the parties’ agreements have occurred since March 2016, which undermines any notion of urgency,” it explained, adding that Quebecor “did not demonstrate that an expedited process would materially impact the alleged damages incurred.” Last year, Quebecor filed to seek leave to appeal a regulatory decision on the wholesale rate for TVA Sports, after the CRTC sided with Bell. When TVA Sports launched back in 2011, Quebecor had accused Bell of refusing to carry the channel. Quebecor reiterated that in its Part 1. The deadline for interventions and comments for the CRTC filing is April 8. Last quarter, Quebecor reported its broadcast revenues dropped by $5.4 million, down 5.7 per cent compared to the previous year’s quarter. It attributed the decline to lower ad revenues at TVA Network and lower subscription revenues at TVA Sports, according to the company’s management, discussion and analysis document posted November last year. Quebecor posts its latest quarterly earnings Wednesday.

Quebecor asks CRTC to make Bell include TVA Sports in its Bon TV package

Brief | March 11, 2019

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Quebecor asks CRTC to make Bell include TVA Sports in its Bon TV package

Brief | March 11, 2019

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