1 / 10

Cable vs. Satellite

The Role of the CRTC. Cable vs. Satellite. Telesat Canada. A Canadian public corporation formed in 1969 to deliver satellite services to Canadians ownership: 51% — Canadian federal government 49% — Canadian telephone monopoly (Bell Canada) No development for a decade

maina
Download Presentation

Cable vs. Satellite

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. The Role of the CRTC Cable vs. Satellite

  2. Telesat Canada • A Canadian public corporation formed in 1969 to deliver satellite services to Canadians • ownership: • 51% —Canadian federal government • 49% — Canadian telephone monopoly (Bell Canada) • No development for a decade • Federal government does not challenge interests of telephone companies

  3. Cancom • CRTC rules (early 80s) that TV signals be made available to remote regions of Canada • Cancom: Consortium of four private Canadian broadcasters formed in 1981 • André Bureau becomes president in January 1983 • Telesat satellites are used to send TV signals to regions of Canada beyond reach of cable • Company loses money immediately • Offers only four TV stations (3 English, 1 French) + eight radio stations(in 1983, “3+1” policy) • $500,000 monthly revenue & $2 million monthly expenses in 1984

  4. CRTC & Cable • In 1980s, cable had > 60% penetration of Canadian households • CRTC strategy is to deliver universal service via private broadcasters (Cancom) • Establishes a pro-cable regulatory paradigm • Cancom uses Telesat Canada satellites • Sends TV to cable systems (cable companies become Cancom’s customers) • Direct to home (DTH) signals could be sent only beyond cable’s reach • Cable customers provide revenue flow • André Bureau becomes Chair of CRTC in October 1983

  5. Death Stars • Direct TV: a US satellite TV service • In direct competition with cable services • Benefits from 1992 FCC ruling preventing cable operators from withholding channels under their control from satellite competitors • Canadian cable companies lobby CRTC in response to “death star” threat • Direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service can beam signals all over North America • Ted Rogers sings the blues

  6. CRTC & Death Stars • CRTC regulation of 80% Canadian ownership makes Direct TV’s signals illegal • Canadian-owned Power Corporation & Direct TV form Power Direct TV • 80% owned by Power Corp. • 20% by Direct TV

  7. CRTC & Death Stars • Threat of competition to cable • BCE & WIC (Western International Communications) talk to Power Direct • CRTC response • BCE & WIC licenses will not be renewed if talks continue • Direct TV must use Canadian satellites to beam to Canadian homes • Threat of more regulatory action

  8. Death Stars & Cable • Cable Co.’s strategy: • Develop a wholly cable-owned DTH satellite company • DTH Canada created in 1994 • Controlled by cable companies (Rogers, Shaw) • CRTC forces minority ownership on BCE & WIC • CRTC exempts DTH Canada from licensing fees • Regulation: no fees for companies using only Canadian satellites • DTH uses Telesat satellites

  9. The Dust Settles • Anti-trust investigation forces Rogers & Shaw out of DTH Canada • BCE and WIC gain control of the company • DTH morphs into ExpressVu • Anti-competitive regulation by CRTC forces Power Direct TV out of Canadian satellite business

  10. Canadian Satellite Service • ExpressVu • Controlled by telephone industry • Cancom • Controlled by cable industry • Star Choice • What was the role of the State?

More Related