Bottom line is:

Broadcast TV is on a one-way ticket to its' own death due to the fact that it's a static technology and user un-friendly.

All future TV viewing will be provided over the Internet (or high-speed data networks, to be more specific) as it's a dynamic technology which allows the viewer to have complete and total control over what they want to watch and when. I watch all my shows online nowadays as to watch a show that's on at a statically set time isn't feasible for my way of life. If we can hook up our new HDtv's to the Internet to download NetFlix movies to watch, what's not to stop us from visiting our network of choice and downloading our favorite shows to watch?

The networks need to focus on this as if they don't, it's game over for them.

And BTW, by watch, I mean via the network's website - which still slips in ads in between segments. Downloading shows via P2P is completely different and is hurting the industry.

No more taxes ...We have enough taxes to pay...Let the gouvernement pay the taxes with thier money....Stop adding taxes...

I'm trying to reduse my cable bill. This new tax should not be passed on to the consumer. An hour show is only 38 mins long the rest is commericals. I believe we all pay to much already.

Maybe people wouldn't mind paying a little more, or better yet, I bet the tv companies and/or networks would not be losing so much money if they would stop playing all these 'mind-numbing' reality tv shows!!! Give me some FICTION! That is entertainment, not endless barrage of mindless people trying to get their five minutes of fame. Enough already! I am ready to stop watching tv altogether!

......NO TV TAX--WE SHOULD NOT BE USED TO PROP UP THE COST OF AMERICAN PROGRAMME COSTS BY THREATENING LOCAL TV ---OR BY ANY OTHER EXCUSE THEY COME UP WITH TO PROVIDE CORPORATE WELFARE IT IS JUST A NEVER ENDING BAILOUT.
ROGERS ET AL ARE MAKING VERY HEALTHY PROFITS AND THIS IS A GRAB FOR FIXED INCOME PENSIONERS MONEY. WE WILL BE A LARGE AND GROWING PART OF THE VOTERS AND YOU KNOW HOW RELIABLE WE ARE AT THE POLLS. THEY BETTER STOP THIS TAX

why don't the crtc let the cable companies switch out the local stations comericals for their own and then charge the cable and sat, companies for using their signals. I get sick and tired of watching comericals when I am trying to watch a program. I am sick and tired of the government tring to take more and more of my hard earned money. Let the cable and sat. companies dump local tv and watch where there money goes then. Also, I will not be paying this tax reguardless of what the crtc says. They are not allowed to tax taxes but right now the government is doing a great job of doing this, just look at what you are paying at the pump so this tax willcost you $120.00 dollars a year plus gst, and pst. I'm pissed of and have had enough. Stop the bullshit now!!!!

If these companies are so broke, how do they afford to inundate us with all the expensive commercials we must suffer through? Quite frankly, I do not believe either side as I think it is just corporate posturing to get what they want.

It makes me ill knowing what I pay monthly for TV @ $75.00 a month, and I don't even have HD. If I have to pay another $10.00 a month just so these companies continue to get richer, I am out. I will buy an antenna for regular and HD TV and be done with both Cable and Satellite.

I do not profess to thoroughly understand either side but I must ask.... How can cable and satellite charge such a high fee for something they get for free and not expect to have to pay for it? Conversely, how can a profitable corporation (i.e. Networks) ask the government for what amounts to a hand out?? And when the networks get back to their normal advertising rates, will this extra fee be rescinded? I doubt it... like all taxes, once it is instituted, it is there forever.

And finally... as a Canadian business owner who has suffered greatly due to this latest recession and is also subjected to many, many government regulations and policies, I would like to know how I too can demand the government pay for my losses and tax the Canadian people so that I may be as profitable as I was before this economic downturn! Oh wait... what was I thinking... free enterprise only applies to the middle class and not the likes of CTV, Chrysler, Global TV, General Motors or Rogers Cable.

Je dis non à cette taxe. Ca nous coûte déjà assez cher comme ça. et qui va augmenter nos cheque de paye et meme pour une Classe moyenne avec une Famille C'est difficile a obtenir le Crédit d'impot pour la Taxe, Lachez nous un peu avec les augmentations de taxes. ASSEZ C'EST ASSEZ Fouttez nous la paix pour qu'ont puissent respirer un Peu.

Say NO to this tax. It's not fair. Why should we have to start paying for something that we always had for free? A lot of people just can't afford to pay any more than what they already do. I was already considering cancelling my TV, I don't watch it much anyway, and if this tax continues that's exactly what I'll do. Reading is just as entertaining, and I have a lot of books to get through. Besides, reading is better for you anyway.

This Tax should NOT exist. It's ridiculous how our local television providers are forced by regulation to carry these stations. It's an even bigger slap in the face to Canadians that the United States has the CHOICE to carry the local stations, and we don't. How are all these big networks aloud to team up together, and MONOPOLIZE the Canadian television market to get even more rich? Our Canadian Government should step in and do something about this. We need to fight back and STOP this TV TAX.

How can I help?


We need to win this battle to have the CHOICE to subscribe to the local channels if we want to!

People, this is an easy fix. Get an antennae attached to your house. There are older guys still working in the industry that can install them. Then the local channels are free. As far as cable goes, anything worth watching is available on dvd and doesn't have commercials. We all win, the cable and tv stations will lose, which will make them scramble to get us back, but why pay for tv that is free anyways.

This is absolutely ridiculous, we are paying enough already, sometimes i cant even find a good programme to watch, so what are we paying more money for .. say NO TO THIS TAX..

Many posters on both this site and the broadcasters' site are talking about canceling television service if this new tax goes through. Something to keep in the back of your mind...if broadcasters do happen to get the go ahead to negotiate fee-for-carriage from cable (and satellite) and people decide to drop television service, how long before they start to go after internet service as well? Remember, most of the up and coming generation do not watch TV, that is way ad revenue is down across the board (not just with the big broadcasters). Most are receiving their programming online, downloading full episodes of shows from the broadcasters' websites. If this trend continues...and it will...broadcasters will soon start to charge a fee to visit their sites. Then they will ask the CRTC for a fee (tax) from internet providers. We will be right back where we started!

I have always believed if there is a problem...fix it...don't just throw more money at it.

NO to this tax

Drop the simultaneous substitution of commercials. Stop doing the networks favours, it's annoying to viewers anyhow. Let them choke on their non-existent ad rates as I and many viewers like me will deliberately stop watching local TV. Let them figure out a way to survive on their 10 dollar a month stipend.

What they don't realize is this: I don't care about their beef with you. I am your customer, not theirs. I am simply a product for them. The more viewers like me that the networks produce, the more ad money they get. Why is it my responsibility if they can't put programming that the market demands on their airwaves?

If the advertising markets come back or go up will we get a reduction in our cable costs?I think not.Therefore they should not bother the viewer with their money problems.How can their profits be going down when we are watching more and more commercials?We are already paying enough for so little.

This tax is ridiculous! Why should the people pay any more for something that thay are charged way to much for in the first place.

I am on a small disability income and any further charges to my already high priced services would force me to cancel my services. Because of my disability i am basicaly home confined and to cause further stress is criminal on the ctv and other affiliates part. I ask our elected officials to stand up for all the Canadian public and stop this crime from happening.

I am confused by the claims offered by both the Broadcasters and the Cable/Satellite companies. The Broadcastes say that the fee is directed to the C/S for them to pay and it not be passed on to the Consumer. The C/S say that all costs are passed on to the Consumer. Both arguments are plausible. (ie. the C/S profits presently are adequate/not adequate to sustain the extra hit)
I am of the mind that now is the time for my spouse and me to reconsider our use of this media. With the exception of a very few offerings the programming is crappy. We have, over the past couple of years spent less and less time in front of the T.V. Is it now time for us to put this baby to bed for good? Hmmmmmm

Where is the logic in this??!!! Say NO to this tax.

Would someone please tell the truth about who is actually receiving the new 1.5% tv tax imposed by the CRTC. If it's the local TV broadcasters who need this revenue to keep them broadcasting, then I am all in favour; if its the tv cable companies like Rogers and Bell I fail to understand why they need this addtional revenue. Unlike the local tv broadcaster in British Columbia that recently closed up their business; TV cable companies are still doing apparently very well.

Hi DH. The new 1.5% Local Programming Improvement Fund is a CRTC invention and all monies raised through cable and satillite bills for this fund are available for broadcasters. The cable and satellite companies can not get monies from this fund UNLESS they happen to own a broadcast channel that produces local programming (As far as I am aware, that does not include community channels which are funded solely by the cable companies that provide them). CTV is making a great case in the media that they are dying and need help to keep going. However, they currently have a pool of your money available to help them with local programming. The problem is CTV spends so much money on American programming they need help to finance that part of their business. Since the LPIF is not available to them for American programming, they have to try another way...witness the birth of the TV Tax!

This is completely ridiculous

Je dis non à cette taxe. Ca nous coûte déjà assez cher comme ça. Lachez nous un peu avec les augmentations de taxes. C'est assez.

This tax is stupid and not needed. Cable companies and CEO make millions of dollars. This is a bad time to start raising taxes so the poor get poorer and the rich get richer. It is about time these companies take a little cut in profits to help the rest of us out

DO we not pay enough taxes in this country? This is unreal and they wonder why they have crime and poverty in this rich country called Canada ..It seems it is just one thing after another with this government having their hands in the working mans pocket. Our government has a licence to steel ..Like the saying goes " Don't steal...The government hates competition " . Leave our hard taxpaying citizens be. We pay enough!!!

This is ridiculous-the Federal government claims the are reducing taxes when infact this just a simple trick-slight of hand. We gotta stop this cash grab, NOW!!

why can't CTV, Global, CanWest understand they are making enough money - they just need to manage their funds better, stop pinning this on us the consumers - LEARN BUDGET MANAGEMENT