TORONTO - Canada's biggest TV stations are banding together to get public support for proposed fees they say would bolster local programming.
Dubbing the appeal "Local TV Matters," CTV, A, Global and CBC say they want to counter what they say is "misinformation cable and satellite companies are telling their customers."
In its submission to the CRTC on Monday, the CBC said the economic model for conventional television is broken.
"Ensuring that CBC/Radio-Canada receives fair compensation for its signal is necessary to ensure that Canadians continue to see themselves, their stories and their news reflected on television both at a national and at a local level," CBC president Hubert Lacroix said in statement.
"In the absence of fair and proper compensation from cable and satellite companies, it will be impossible for us to continue to keep up with the evolving needs and expectations of Canadians, and to offer top quality Canadian programming."
The broadcasters launched the campaign as cable company Rogers Communications Inc. argued against the fee in its submission to the CRTC, calling it a "bailout."
Rogers vice-chairman Phil Lind called the proposed fee-for-carriage "an unnecessary bailout for over-the-air broadcasters and an unfair tax on cable and satellite television subscribers."
"Claims by CTV and Canwest/Global that the advertising-supported business model for over-the-air conventional television broadcasting is broken, are simply wrong, advertising revenues will rebound at the end of the recession," Lind said in statement.
The CRTC will hold a hearing on the matter in November.
The broadcasters say cable and satellite providers should be forced to pay for the right to carry their over-the-air signals, and have suggested 50 cents a month per customer as a fee.
Cable and satellite providers have said they would pass the added fee on to consumers. That could increase cable bills by $5 to $10, according to some estimates.
