Xanthippa's Chamberpot

Hear it and weep!

This is what happens with government over-regulation.

Bell Canada provides cable/satellite channels to its subscribers.  It does so with a license from the Government agency, CRTC.

Bell Canada also owns and operates CTV – a news network.  It does this also with a license from the CRTC.

Rather than making it available by choice, however, the CRTC has decreed that every cable/satelite provider MUST carry the CTV news channel. and must make it available to its subscribers as part of the ‘basic’ package (the channels are bundled – a Canadian is not permitted to simply pay for the channels she wants, we can only buy a couple of ‘bundles’ of channels).  In other words, if a Canadian wishes to get cable/satellite TV, she MUST purchase Bell’s news channel. CTV – along with the government’s own channel, the CBC.

A new news channel started up:  Sun TV.  They are licensed by the same CRTC to operate in Canada and must adhere to its standards.

UPDATE:  I have replaced the original end of my post with this link to better researched details of what is going on.

H/T:  BCF