Wireline competition, pick-and-pay could pressure telecoms in 2017: Canaccord

Certain events leading into 2017 could spell increased pressure on telecommunications companies, but there’s “not much to be excited about” otherwise, according to Canaccord Genuity.

In a note Monday, Canaccord analyst Aravinda Galappatthige said “apart from the fact that the impact of the double cohort should ease,” he does “not see many catalysts that can significantly improve the fundamentals” in the telecom sector.  

PIAC says customers need better skinny basic info

GATINEAU — On the final day of a two-day hearing, consumer groups told a CRTC panel that the regulator should set standards for how companies present information about their skinny-basic packages, while CRTC commissioner Jean-Pierre Blais implied consumers also have some responsibility to inform themselves.

CRTC grills telecoms on skinny basic promotion, bundling

GATINEAU — A CRTC panel pressed Canada's largest TV service providers on whether they were doing enough to bring attention to new skinny-basic services, raising concerns that higher-tier services were receiving favourable treatment, on the first day of a hearing on skinny-basic implementation.

CRTC skinny basic hearing ‘premature,’ telecoms say

As the CRTC is set to look into the implementation of its skinny basic TV package rules by industry, telecoms are arguing the proceeding is largely premature, given that the commission’s skinny basic regime still hasn’t been fully implemented.

177,000 Canadians subscribe to skinny basic: CRTC

GATINEAU — As of June 30, about 177,000 TV subscribers had a skinny basic package, according to information given to media at a CRTC technical briefing Friday.

Cable providers readying for full pick-and-pay with theme packs

Some companies are adding more selection to their cable TV packages by going the theme-pack route in preparation for the mandatory full pick-and-pay rules coming into effect this winter. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …

Anglophone TV subs fall to 73%: MTM

The number of anglophones subscribing to TV service continues to fall, according to a new report by Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a project of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Set-top box provider appealing temporary ban

A federal court judge erred in her determination that allowing a group of five companies to continue selling pre-loaded set-top boxes would pose “irreparable harm” to TV service providers, according to court documents filed this week.

Shomi, Crave in fewer than 1M households: SRG

Solutions Research Group Consultants Inc. estimates fewer than one million Canadian households are currently subscribers to BCE Inc.’s CraveTV and Rogers Communications Inc.’s and Shaw Communications Inc.’s Shomi.

Rogers proposes ‘not-for-profit’ national OMNI channel

Rogers Communications Inc. is changing tack with its beleaguered OMNI ethnic stations, announcing Tuesday it’s applied for a licence for a national ethnic channel, which it asked the CRTC to include in skinny-basic packages, promising to restore previously cut ethnic programming if the proposal is approved.

Pick-and-pay drives customer satisfaction: J.D. Power

A new J.D. Power survey has found customers who have a skinny-basic TV package with a pick-and-pay option are more satisfied than TV customers with other types of subscriptions.

Satisfaction among skinny-basic customers was 761 on a 1,000-point scale, as compared to 738 among customers with premium service, 708 among those with “a pre-set expanded basic package” and 700 among those with basic cable, J.D. Power said in a press release Thursday.

Four telecoms singled out for skinny-basic hearing

The CRTC said Tuesday it will hold a hearing on the implementation of skinny basic TV packages, though it only asked four companies — BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc., and Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron — to appear at the Sept. 7 proceeding.

Since they became available in March, 100,000 Canadians have signed up for the new packages, the commission said in a press release.

CRTC to launch consultation on skinny basic rollout

The CRTC will issue a notice of consultation on how telecom companies carried out its skinny basic TV package rules later this month.

Spokeswoman Patricia Valladao said in an email Friday the commission had asked TV providers, as part of a broadcast licence review process launched last month, to answer a number of questions about skinny basic.

The CRTC will launch a consultation on those responses before the end of May, she confirmed.

Rogers to launch IPTV by end of the year

Rogers Communications Inc. will be launching an IPTV service by the end of the year, Guy Laurence, the company’s CEO, confirmed Tuesday during Rogers’ annual general meeting of shareholders held in Toronto.

“It’ll be everything your cable service offers today but on a slick, state-of-the-art platform that’s easy to use and personalized to your wishes,” Laurence said in a webcast of the conference. “It will take your TV viewing to a whole new level and we’ll introduce it at the end of this year.”

Customers say skinny basic not worthwhile: study

More than 66,000 Canadians have signed up for a skinny-basic TV package since its rollout on March 1, according to the CRTC.

In a Friday press release, the regulator said a third of those who signed up also took advantage of pick-and-pay channels and theme packs.

Exec cites ‘tipping point’ in customer demand as Sportsnet goes OTT

Rogers Communications Inc. will begin offering its Sportsnet channels without a TV subscription for $24.99 per month, the company announced Thursday.

Scott Moore, president of Sportsnet and NHL properties at Rogers, said in a phone interview that the company chose to do so because “this is what a certain segment of our consumer base is asking for. You would have to have your head in the sand over the last three to five years if you weren’t paying attention to the way people consume video content.”

CRTC tells CCTS to step up enforcement, ‘naming and shaming’

In addition to expanding the mandate of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) Thursday to include TV service, the CRTC told the organization to make more use of enforcement tools at its disposal, including “naming and shaming.”

The CRTC said it believes that “promoting and monitoring compliance are necessary first steps in enforcement… it is not clear how much effort the CCTS has put into these activities or into enforcement, but at this point it would appear to be insufficient.”

Telecoms’ TV customer losses up five-fold in 2015

The number of subscribers leaving the Canadian TV system appears to be accelerating, as Canada’s publicly traded telecom companies lost five times more TV subscribers in 2015 than a year earlier.

As skinny basic arrives, experts doubt consumer appeal

On the day Canadian TV providers were required to make their skinny basic options available to consumers, experts expressed skepticism about how many Canadians will sign up for the new offers and their ability to improve the trend toward cord-cutting.

Drew McReynolds, an analyst with RBC Dominion Securities, said in a research note Tuesday that the new options launched by the TV providers “are designed to protect profitability and/or incentivize households to largely stick with existing channel bundles, which in some cases have been improved.”

Bell releases skinny basic offer, no U.S. networks included

A day before the March 1 deadline, BCE Inc. is advertising its skinny basic offer, a $24.95 Starter package.

Bell playing skinny basic plan close to the vest: report

BCE Inc. is keeping mum in the wake of a media report claiming the company is telling staff to downplay its upcoming skinny basic TV offering.

On Friday, CBC reported that an internal training document it obtained advised sales staff to not promote its new skinny basic TV package, quoting the document as saying that there "will be no advertising, and this package should only be discussed if the customer initiates the conversation."

Rogers to offer $3-$18 theme packs with skinny basic

Rogers Communications Inc.’s $24.99 skinny basic offer will include the U.S. "4+1” networks ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox and PBS, and its theme packages will cost between $3 and $18.

Rogers spokeswoman Jennifer Kett sent details of the new offer, which will be available as of March 1, in an email Wednesday.

Shaw launches skinny basic package

Shaw Communications Inc. announced Wednesday it has launched its skinny basic TV package, called Limited TV.

The package, along with new small theme packs that can be combined with existing TV packages, is now available for purchase, Chethan Lakshman, vice-president of external affairs at Shaw, said in an email Thursday.

CRTC won’t change course despite appeals, criticism: Blais

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said Wednesday the CRTC will stick to the course of action it has set despite disapproval by those who feel the CRTC’s direction “upsets their entitlements and threatens their livelihoods.”

CRTC extends deadline in Shaw-Corus consultation

The CRTC said Thursday it has extended the deadline in its consultation on Shaw Communications Inc.’s sale of its media division to Corus Entertainment Inc. to 

CRTC asks Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Quebecor to renew TV licences

The CRTC said Monday that BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., Shaw Communications Inc. and Quebecor Inc. should apply to renew their TV licences that will expire in 2017.

TV advertising needs better metrics, execs say

While advertising will remain a key part of the TV ecosystem, the television industry will have to provide better audience data in order to keep up with digital competition, said Barbara Williams, president of Shaw Communications Inc.’s media division.

“The future is not ad-free,” Williams said during a panel discussion on Thursday at the annual conference of the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA), formerly known as the Canadian Media Production Association.

Growth in telecom to lag behind economy: Conference Board

According to the Conference Board of Canada, high debt levels and weak job prospects will make it difficult for Canadians to increase spending on telecom services in 2016, limiting industry growth.

A new report said the"industry’s pace of growth has slowed remarkably in recent years, from an increase of more than [four] per cent in 2010 to a mere 0.4 per cent” the Conference Board forecasts for 2015.

SaskTel launches skinny-basic package

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. launched its skinny-basic TV package Monday, priced at the $25 maximum mandated by the CRTC, SaskTel spokeswoman Michelle Englot said in an email. 

CRTC news fund proposal would ‘gut’ community TV: Cogeco

Cogeco Communications Inc. told a CRTC hearing Wednesday that a plan the commission proposed to create a new fund for local TV news programming, to be funded by existing financial resources within the broadcasting system, would amount to “robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

Nathalie Dorval, Cogeco’s vice-president of regulatory affairs and copyright, said doing so “particularly when both Peter and Paul are increasingly losing customers and money to Uncle Sam, is neither an effective nor a fair public policy option.”

Bell, Channel Zero tell CRTC local TV needs help

GATINEAU — The first day of the CRTC’s hearing on local and community television painted a picture of traditional TV in flux, as operators of conventional stations said declining ad revenue is making local TV unsustainable, while Vice Media LLC said it’s moving into traditional TV in order to capture a wider range of advertisers.

CACTUS complaints result in 4 CRTC proceedings

The CRTC has grouped 61 complaints by the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS) into four Part 1 proceedings, giving Shaw Communications Inc., Cogeco Cable Inc., Rogers Communications Inc., and Eastlink until April 15 to respond.

Bell denied requests to switch Category A channels to B

The CRTC has denied BCE Inc. applications to have eight Category A channels changed to Category B channels, which would have reduced the requirements for Canadian content on these channels.

The channels Bell Media requested this change for were Bravo, the Comedy Network, Discovery Channel, E, MTV Canada, Much, M3 and Space.

TV regulatory changes could cost 15,000 jobs: report

New CRTC regulatory changes from the Let’s Talk TV decisions could lead to a loss of more than 15,000 Canadian jobs and take $1.4 billion from the Canadian economy annually by 2020, according to a new report released Tuesday that was co-authored by independent TV consultant Peter Miller and research company Nordicity.

Bell denied request for relief on original-content condition

The CRTC has denied a request by BCE Inc.'s Bell Media division to delete a condition of licence for its French-language specialty channel Vrak.TV that requires it to show 104 hours of original, first-run Canadian French-language programming each year.

Broadcasters advised to ‘pick their winners’ as pick-and-pay approaches

As the Canadian TV industry approaches an era where customers have more choice over the channels they subscribe to, large broadcasters should “pick their winners” and consolidate into a smaller number of channels, a new report from RBC Capital Markets says.  

Connectivity beats content in telecom/media sector: report

The notion that "content is king" is challenged in a new report that points out that connectivity services take in significantly more revenue than content providers in Canada and have seen more growth in recent decades.

B.C. provider offers skinny-basic TV

Mascon, a small telecom service provider in British Columbia, announced Monday that it is now offering a skinny-basic TV package for $20 a month, getting a head-start on the CRTC requirement that packages for no more than $25 a month must be available as of next March.

The company said in an announcement on its website that the package, called the "Digital Starter," will cost $20 per month. It added that customers can pick channels they want that fit their “household unique needs, budgets and realities.”

Are stars aligning for Shaw sale to Rogers?

The idea of a merger between Canada's two biggest cable providers — Shaw Communications Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. — is on the radar again, with at least two market analysts saying the conditions are right for such a move.

Federal election unlikely to change telecom policy: Huang

Barclays Capital analyst Phillip Huang said in a research note Monday that, despite the uncertain outcome of this month's federal election, a significant change in policy with regard to telecommunications is unlikely.

Huang noted that polls have indicated a close race between the Conservatives, Liberals and NDP, with a minority government looking likely. He added that "minority governments have historically shied away from pushing any significant/contentious new policy objectives."

Pick-and-pay TV prices could reduce cord cutting, say experts

Prices for TV subscriptions in the coming pick-and-pay era will be one of the main factors determining how over-the-top (OTT) video services are affected, say experts, noting that competitive pricing in TV packages might curb the cord-cutting trend. 

Production sector must understand telecom: new CMPA boss

As the telecommunications and media industries continue to converge, the production sector must pay more attention to what were traditionally considered telecom issues, according to Reynolds Mastin, the new CEO of the Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA).

Shaw says national news-channel plans on hold

Shaw Communications Inc. has put on hold plans to establish a national news channel in the wake of changes in the television regulatory environment over the last year, a company official said Thursday.

Canadian OTT startup looks to take on the world

An emerging Canadian provider of over-the-top (OTT) video content hopes that reaching viewers around the world, and particularly those with very specific interests, translates into keys to success in the fast-changing television market.

CRTC consulting on some Talk TV decisions

The CRTC has opened a consultation on a number of decisions it made as part of its Let's Talk TV review of television services ahead of making official changes to its broadcasting regulations to include them.

CMF to go on cross-country consultation

The Canadian Media Fund (CMF) said Tuesday it will be going across the country for a consultation process this fall.

It said in a press release that the consultation process will include several components, including focus groups in 18 different cities across all provinces and territories, and industry working groups.

New OTT options tempting TV consumers: study

A new study from Digitalsmiths, a subsidiary of TiVo Inc., shows almost 60 per cent of TV-service customers in Canada and the U.S. are spending more than $100 US a month for their subscriptions, and about one in four are unsatisfied with their service, which is the highest level since 2013.

Dissatisfaction mainly came from increasing fees that TV-service providers are charging, said the report released last week.

Rogers’ hockey content brings Sportsnet neck-to-neck with TSN

Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. both used Numeris data Tuesday to proclaim their sports channel is No. 1 in the market, a virtual tie that Rogers said was enabled by its hockey content.

Keith Pelley leaving Rogers this summer

Rogers Communications Inc. said Friday that Keith Pelley will leave as president of the company's media division this summer to take over as CEO of the PGA European Tour.

Kosiner looking for piece of TV music market

A 27-year-old entrepreneur wants to offer an alternative to what he calls a monopoly in the market for audio music channels offered through TV service providers in Canada.

Evan Kosiner, president and owner of Kosiner Venture Capital Inc., said in a phone interview there is still a business opportunity in audio-only music channels despite the impending launch of scaled-down TV subscriptions next year as mandated by the CRTC and the rise of online music streaming.

Kevin Crull out as Bell Media boss

BCE Inc. said Thursday that Kevin Crull is out as president of its Bell Media division, and a press release appeared to link Crull's ousting to his recent conflict with news staff over coverage of the CRTC's decision on TV-channel unbundling.

Bell CEO George Cope said in the release that "Kevin Crull departs Bell with our thanks for his contributions to our customers and shareholders,” noting achievements such as the integration of Astral Media and the launch of CraveTV.

News channels face funding challenges after CRTC decision

Canada’s national news channels face new obligations from the CRTC even as the regulator is taking away their place on basic cable, raising questions about their future finances.

Last month, as part of the CRTC’s wide-ranging review of its television rules, the regulator detailed a new basic package of cable channels that excludes the national news channels from BCE Inc. and Quebecor Inc. and any future entrants into that market.

Telecoms will adjust to pick-and-pay regime, analysts say

Financial analysts reacting to the CRTC’s new pick-and-pay rules say they don’t expect the decision to have a major impact on the industry, though the broadcasting side of the business is more vulnerable than TV distribution.

Troy Crandall, a telecom analyst with 3Macs, said in a phone interview Friday that pure broadcast distributors, such as Telus Corp. and Cogeco Cable Inc., will be least affected, while companies focusing on content, such as Corus Entertainment Inc., will see the biggest impact.

CRTC decisions, new streaming services top TV agenda for 2015

It seems all eyes are on the two newest services in the Canadian TV industry.

This fall, the country’s biggest telecom and media companies launched streaming services meant to compete with Netflix Inc.’s, and how they end up performing in the coming weeks and months is “the thing that everyone’s watching,” said broadcasting consultant Peter Miller.

Mulcair denounces Glover statements on Netflix regulation

OTTAWA — NDP Leader Tom Mulcair on Wednesday denounced Heritage Minister Shelly Glover's statements that ruled out regulation for online video services such as Netflix and YouTube, which were made while a CRTC hearing considering the future of television was ongoing.

Mulcair did not say what his position on the regulation of online video was when asked by The Wire Report after an NDP caucus meeting on Parliament Hill.

C.D. Howe warns against pick-and-pay TV

The C.D. Howe Institute released a report on Thursday that said the CRTC's proposal to mandate pick-and-pay television is "deeply misguided" and would be "irrelevant at best" and "harmful at worst."

The report argued that with increasing competition to TV service providers from alternatives, such as the video streaming offered by Netflix Inc., making a profit from channel bundling will become difficult and market forces themselves will force the conditions for more choice for consumers.

Rogers VP predicts end of TV broadcasting, as we know it

GATINEAU, Que. — You can’t assume that young people who have never had subscription-TV service will eventually get it, Ken Engelhart, Rogers Communications Inc.’s vice-president of regulatory affairs, told the CRTC on Thursday.

Regulating OTT could set ‘dangerous precedent’: Google

GATINEAU, Que. — A move by the CRTC to regulate over-the-top (OTT) video platforms could set a precedent for regulators in other countries, a Google Inc. lawyer told the commission on the first day of its two-week Let’s Talk TV hearing on the future of television services in Canada.

“The extension of conventional broadcasting regulation to online platforms would certainly be a significant impediment to the development of the platforms,” Google Canada counsel Jason Kee told the commission.

Shaw lobbying federal officials ahead of CRTC TV review

Shaw Communications Inc. is stepping up its lobbying ahead of the CRTC’s Let’s Talk TV hearing in September, meeting with various MPs in their ridings as well senior public servants in Ottawa over the last month.

Shaw reported the second-most communications with public office holders in July, the federal lobbyist registry shows, with 11, all on the subject of broadcasting, though some dealt with telecommunications as well. The cable and Internet provider trailed only the Mining Association of Canada, which reported 12 communications.

Watchdog warns pick-and-pay would hurt economy

Friends of Canadian Broadcasting warned Friday that adopting proposals for reform of the television industry such as pick-and-pay, as put forward by the CRTC, could cost the economy tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars.

CRTC gives public another chance for TV comment

The CRTC is giving the public another chance to make its views known in the review of the national television industry through an online forum, and it has also narrowed down its priorities for discussion to four general areas.

Penetration-based pricing biggest barrier to pick-and-pay: analyst

The biggest challenge standing in the way of a pick-and-pay TV system is the current penetration-based rate card regime, Scotia Capital telecom analyst Jeff Fan said in a research note.

Service providers support TV choice, but not to extent suggested

In interventions submitted as part of the CRTC’s review of the future of the television, both BCE Inc. and Rogers Communications Inc. said they supported a pick-and-pay television system, though details of their submissions showed they did not favour going as far as the CRTC has suggested.

CRTC delays deadline for TV-review comments till Friday

The CRTC said Monday it is extending the deadline for submitting comments in the third phase of its Let's Talk TV proceedings until Friday.

The deadline had previously been set for Wednesday.

Public backs heavy CRTC hand in TV service: survey

The CRTC has the backing of the general public if it decides to get into regulating the prices people pay for television service, according to a new survey.

A poll done by Forum Research, released in advance to The Wire Report, shows that 79 per cent of respondents agree with the idea of the CRTC getting back into the practice of regulating cable and satellite fees, while 60 per cent "strongly" agree.

Canadian TV packages more flexible than in U.S.: study

A report appearing on the CRTC's website Friday indicated that Canadian television service providers are offering more choice and flexibility than ones in the United States in selected markets.

The study, done by Ottawa-based business consultant David Keeble, studied TV offerings in three markets in Canada, which he contrasted with three comparable markets in the U.S.

"On the evidence gathered in this report, Canadian BDUs offer the consumer more flexibility than their American counterparts," the report said.

Price hikes for sports in pick-and-pay ‘big concern’: CMPA lawyer

OTTAWA — The CRTC would be unlikely to intervene if a move to pick-and-pay television caused price increases, said Reynolds Martin, chief negotiator and chief legal officer at the Canadian Media Production Association.

“I wonder what remedies would be available to the commission, because my supposition is that it’s going to be extremely reluctant to engage in any kind of rate regulation exercise over and above what’s been contemplated [and] done in the past,” he said during a panel discussion at a communication law conference in Ottawa on Thursday.

CRTC backs pick-and-pay while acknowledging ‘risks’

The CRTC has officially endorsed a move toward pick-and-pay television, though it has admitted the transition to such a model is unlikely to be pain-free.

The commission proposed in a report Thursday that television-service providers be required to allow customers to choose all their channels beyond a basic package that consists of Canadian over-the-air channels, those deemed to be of public interest such as CPAC or the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, provincial educational channels, community channels and services operated by provincial legislatures.

Canadians willing to pay for more TV choice: survey

A majority of Canadians taking part in a survey, for which results were released Tuesday, said having more choice and control over what they watch on television is an “excellent” or “good” idea.

Phase 2 of CRTC TV review asks about OTT regulation

The CRTC is asking Canadians for feedback about Canadian content in online television services and their adherence to programming standards in an online questionnaire released Tuesday as part of Phase 2 of its review of television services in Canada.

In a section about online programming, the CRTC asks respondents whether they would be willing to pay extra to have more Canadian programming available within online services, and in order to have online services provide closed-captioning and adhere to programming standards.

CRTC chair says he shares ‘philosophy’ with James Moore

CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said in a magazine article that hits newsstands Monday that he and Industry Minister James Moore share a similar “philosophy” about consumer affordability and service issues in the telecommunications sector.

‘Penetration-based’ subscription rates needed in pick-and-pay regime: experts

Carriage negotiations between broadcasters and the broadcast distributors who deliver their channels to consumers will focus on finding the right “penetration-based” price rates in a future pick-and-pay TV model, industry insiders and experts said.

Cogeco to launch pick-and-pay TV outside Quebec next year: Audet

MONTREAL—When Cogeco Inc. introduced its pick-and-pay cable-TV offering in Quebec a decade ago, it had to find a balance between profitability and satisfying customers, and the challenge will be the same in English Canada as the company introduces pick-and-pay there, said Louis Audet, Cogeco president and chief executive.

NHL deal to help Rogers in pick-and-pay regime: analysts

Rogers Communications Inc.’s new 12-year deal for the broadcast and multi-platform rights to National Hockey League games is a $5.2-billion bet that Canadians will pay to maintain access to NHL games if they’re forced to choose between costly sports specialty channels in a future pick-and-pay environment, industry analysts said.

Government to wait for CRTC report before making decisions on pick-and-pay, Glover says

The federal government will wait to see the results of a CRTC report on how best to implement a pick-and-pay television model before deciding whether to get involved in the process, Heritage Minister Shelly Glover said.

“We can’t make any decisions until we see the [CRTC’s] report because I want to make sure we have a complete picture,” Glover said in an interview Thursday. “They’re going to do their report and we’re going to wait for it … absolutely I’ll be depending on their expertise.”

Moore encouraged Blais to tackle consumer issues at CRTC

Then-heritage minister James Moore told incoming CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais in an introductory letter last year that he would like to see the commission “comprehensively address consumer affordability” issues, according to documents obtained under an access-to-information request.

CRTC dives into TV review, says public complaining about channel packaging

The CRTC officially launched its public consultation on television services, asking the public for input into questions related to the Conservative government’s promise to unbundle television channels.

Tories pledge TV unbundling, more rural broadband, no paper billing fees

The Conservative government said it will reduce wireless roaming fees, enhance rural broadband accessibility and unbundle TV providers’ channel packages as part of a series of pledges to protect consumers.

“When Canadians make decisions about how to spend their money, they must be assured of a voice, a choice, and fair treatment,” said Governor General David Johnston, who delivered the government's speech from the throne on Wednesday on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Want pick-and-pay? You may end up paying $9 for TSN, consultant says

If TV subscribers are about to receive individual channels on a pick-and-pay basis, as the Conservative government says it will mandate, they may be surprised at the standalone pricing for some of their favourite channels.

Broadcast consultant and former CRTC commissioner Michel Arpin said that for an idea of the cost of individual channels with high-value programming like sports or movies, observers may want to look at current standalone pricing for pay channels like The Movie Network (owned by BCE Inc. division Bell Media).

A la carte would drop U.S. TV revenues almost 50%: analyst

The American television industry's annual revenues of $150 billion US would be cut nearly in half if broadcast distributors moved to an a la carte model, said a report by research firm Needham & Company.

Laura Martin, an Internet, entertainment and consumer analyst with Needham & Company, said in a July 11 report that a move to unbundled, or a la carte, TV services would cost the industry $70 billion US in annual revenues as advertising dried up and subscriptions for less popular channels fell.