Cogeco Cable is calling on the federal broadcast regulator to slap tighter controls on Canada’s increasingly concentrated telecommunications and broadcast sector.
The Montreal-based cable TV company told the CRTC today that a string of takeovers in the industry requires tougher regulation by the commission.
Cogeco noted that BCE, Shaw Communications, Rogers Communications and Quebecor Media together control more than three quarters of all Canadian television programming and distribution revenues.
They also control well over two thirds of all wireline and mobile phone subscribers.
Cogeco asked the CRTC to reinforce its rules to prevent anti-competitive practices by the four big conglomerates.
Specifically, the regulator needs to crack down on corporate discrimination, undue preferences, refusal to deal, tied selling and margin squeezing that could hurt independent competitors in the industry.
Earlier this week, the CRTC heard from BCE, Telus, Rogers and Quebecor at the hearings.
The commission is reviewing the ownership of television channels by the big cable and satellite companies.
