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STOP THE TV TAX, COALITION URGES CRTC

Saying that this is no time to ask Canadian families to pay up to $10 more per month on their cable and satellite bills, a coalition of Canada’s leading cable and satellite providers today launched a campaign to Stop the TV Tax at www.stopthetvtax.ca.

The campaign responds to the attempts by the large television networks to hide behind the issue of local television funding in order to obtain a new tax, a fee-for-carriage, on cable and satellite subscribers. The Coalition has launched the Stop the TV Tax campaign in order to ensure that Canadians hear the whole story.

Bell, Bell Aliant, Cogeco, EastLink, Rogers and Telus have joined together to help consumers Stop the TV Tax.

The Coalition takes aim at a new tax being proposed by the broadcasters to fund television networks, which could amount for consumers to up to $10 more per month on their cable or satellite bill. The campaign marks an extraordinary union of competitors and consumers who are united in their opposition to the TV Tax. “Cable and satellite subscribers have united to stop the broadcasters’ costly proposal because it amounts to a tax, pure and simple. This tax will hit viewers for stations that have always been available for free over the air,” said Phil Lind, Vice Chairman, of Rogers Communications Inc.

“It’s an unnecessary new tax on consumers,” said Mirko Bibic, Bell’s Senior Vice-President, Regulatory and Government Affairs. “Having just secured close to $100M from the newly implemented CRTC Local Programming Improvement Fund (LPIF), the broadcasters are simply asking for more handouts.”

The proposed additional TV Tax would see satellite and cable companies charged to carry channels that have always been free to viewers over-the-air. If the CRTC moves ahead with this tax, cable and satellite providers will ensure that consumers understand the impact of this tax and have the opportunity to lodge complaints with the regulator and government in Ottawa.

Lind says the TV Tax comes at a high dollar figure for most subscribers. He adds that the tax has no clear benefit to local television, stating, “The networks have twice demanded the CRTC charge consumers a TV Tax, and were twice rejected.”

“There is no justification for such increases at this time; no additional value is being delivered to viewers by broadcasters,” said Bibic. “Satellite and cable providers stand on the side of television consumers to fight this charge.”

The Stop the TV Tax coalition’s website, www.stopthetvtax.ca, will serve as a portal for citizen engagement, offering a wide range of concrete actions consumers can take to Stop the TV Tax. Print, radio and television ads will raise awareness of the website.

  • hele_b
    If this tax goes through I will cancel my cable subscription. I can rent/buy the shows I really want, and watch episodes on the web too! I give Roger's plenty of my money already, they do not need more!!!
  • jeterio
    NO! NO! NO! This 'come and give us more money' attitude on the part of big broadcasting is not what Canadians need at this time. I urge the CRTC to see through this tax demand as a rip off dodge by the broadcasters and only as a blackmailing bid to stop the local broadcasts. Don ''t fall for this blatant attempt to get more bailout money. They are already receiving enough of the Canadians' money at the public trough!!! Time to stop.
  • I disagree to the TV Tax! enough! we're taxed to death as it is! They should figure out how to ride out the recession without putting more weight on our backs!
  • Je ne suis pas d'accord avec la taxe, car je paye déjà mon compte de Vidéotron. Dans le quartier que j'habite je dois avoir le câble car il n'y a aucun poste qui entre.
  • jode15
    where dose it stop .
  • If these stations are at risk, the tv packages should be modified to include certain channels and leave some out.

    I'm a student so I only watch a few hours of TV a week, if these fees get any higher, I can easily just cancel my cable and watch the shows online through various streaming sites. That way, I'll save the $30+ from cable a month! What good would that do to the local TV stations?
  • xer
    People are having a hard enough time making ends meet. For single parent or even a senior on a fixed pension this is their main source of entertainment. There are a lot of people working two and three jobs just to pay for rent, food and other necessities of life. Mind you if your are working that many jobs you don't have time to watch t.v.
  • NO TAX, I pay too much for satellite as it is, and dont watch these channels at all. If this tax goes forward the satellite will be cancelled.
  • bkamper
    this is ridiculous. why would we have to pay more for companies that cant operate a business properly. Why does Calgary have 4 local stations? Just another example of the government shoving crap down our throats and then charging us for it
  • ralphlinares
    It is a ridiculous idea to implement a new tv tax having in mind the fact that we are trying to get out of an international financial situation.what are we the consumers getting in return?absolutely nothing!...the big broadcasting companies are the ones gaining the benefit out of this outragious idea.we are struggling as it is,i'll just end up cutting my cable service off,there is no way i can afford it.,monopoly in the tv services is already a big problem,the only one loosing in any case will be us the consumers.
    stop the tv tax!my pockets are empty!
  • Ron O'Connell
    I would lik to remind al boadcasters that they have a captive audience of Senior Ciizens who are on pensions and fixed incomes, and many are shutins. They depend on TV for recreation and to pass the time. They do not need to pay twice.
    IF the CRTC just gave 100m$ for Local Programming Impovement Fund, why do broadasters want more. Maybe to give the bigshots higher bonuses or perhaps to pay for expensive lunches ie:(Lottery Corp.), it wont imrove cont of programs, most are US and I only watch about 6 channels.
    To all other Seniors--- Pay Once Not Twice. STOP THE TV TAX.
  • econoclast
    In this age of protect the rich at all costs...eg insurance companies who gambled our premiums in the stock market, and banks that loaned non qualified borrowers too much money, it's another harmful tax on the ever dwindling workforce that is hanging by a thread as the government allows more and more jobs to be sent to China ; again to line the pockets of the Gready Rich !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • dknight
    Neither side has the high ground here, the networks have been feeding us tat for programming and the cable providers have abused their monopoly by forcing "bundles" on anyone who wants anything beyond so called "basic" cable. "Basic" consists of 30 channels of which I might watch 3 with any regularity but adding anything costs a premium and I have to take 4 or 5 channels to get one I want, so I don't. What do I want? From the networks, decent programs, from the cable monopoly, real choice so I can pay for what I use, not what is foisted on me and finally- from the CRTC- please get your act together before the switch to digital or this will seem like a walk in the park by comparison.
  • rolfp
    These broadcasting companies see things like this:
    We (the viewers) are the product
    The shows are the medium which they use to deliver the advertising
    The Advertisers are the clients

    It is rediculous that these companies now think they can try to charge their products so they can get even more money.

    If the government/CRTC allows this then certainly we should be able to do something. If enough people join in on an action against them then we cannot be silenced and we will have an impact.

    The question is who is willing to join?
  • ltaras
    At what point is too much enough? These people already make money hand over fist and provide as little programming as possible because hey, why put a show on that someone wants to see when they can sell the air time for commercials. I fail to understand how they can need any money - ah wait, that fiscal responsibility thing doesn't apply to them right? They need the same reality check that the automotive industry received. The vast majority of people cannot afford this luxury item (and that is what it is). If this goes through, I believe the backlash from the public in terms of cancelled service will send them a resounding message. Of course then they will be going directly to the government for a bailout.

    These people think it is ok and reasonable to tax more - where is Robin Hood?
  • quaildog
    Television networks already collect advertizing fees from companies for the commercials they play between and during their programs, so they have been fully compensated. Now they just want to skim a little more gravy off the top. If the networks want the cable/satellite providers to pay them for the programming, then the cable/satellite companies should simply strip out the networks' commercials and replace them with their own commercials, which companies would then pay for directly to them.
  • canadiancitizen
    These companies and their taxes. I think that we pay enough for t.v. channels. Enough is enough
  • jgmack
    My cable company sucks enough money out of me. Now the networks want us to bail them out because advertising revenue is down? Well, too bad! They should be made to ride out this recession just like everyone else. If this tax is approved you can guarantee it will be permanent and it will only increase over time. This is nothing but a disgusting tax grab! Has anyone got a petition going? Please let me know. We Canadians pay enough taxes. We have to stop this from happening!
  • mbelzilepaquet
    NON ça l'a pas de bon sens pentoute
  • lulu_p
    Stop the tax? I have already been taxed by Bell on my last satellite bill. They called it "Contribution Fee to CRTC's LPIF" for $1.06. You should check your bills too. I love how they call it a contribution as if I actually okay'd it. Definitely not interested in another tax.
  • NO TAX. Having been laid off and my husband is on a pension, we can not afford to pay any more. Also, why would we pay for programming we don't watch. The problem is no one watches these channels therefore advertisers won't put money into these local channels for ads which in turn makes the channel unprofitable. There is so much crap on TV, we should be able pick which channels we want to watch and not have to pay things we don't.
  • uncledede
    Another tax grab........ anything to get more money !!! People don't fall into their scheme . Say NO to these Morons.... enough is enough .
  • We should have the choice as to whether we even want these stations or not. Let US decide! I don't even watch them! For those who like these stations, in order to keep them, THEY can pay the tax!
    I'm sick and tired of bailing out corporations because they can't manage their businesses properly. Who is going to bail ME out if I get into financial trouble? NO ONE... that's who!
    Nothing like us tax payers, once again, helping the rich get richer.
  • gasp65
    My main question concerns the sponsors of this protest. Why is this protest being staged by the very people it would profit? I mean, Bell owns CTV, for instance. Rogers owns a bunch too. My guess is that this is yet another thinly-veiled assault on the CBC by Global and CTV. They'd like nothing better than to show nothing but American content and more and more commercials. They already run ads where previews of the next episode would be, where will their greed end? A rhetorical question if there ever was one. ;)
  • Jeff_Power
    It'll be easy for me to avoid this tax, see on bill, cancel cable ...so easy
  • Retire these channels I say. Why do we have to pay for programming we don't watch. The problem is no one watches these channels therefore advertisers don't pu money into these local channels for ads which in turn makes the channel unprofitable. And now they want us to pay this so they can keep showing programs no one will watch in order to keep them floating and when they run out of money they ask for more? I don't think so. I pay extra on my bill because I want premium content
  • robertallan
    Well if they are demanding $10.00 per month then we as ratepayers must have the option of declining their services over cable/satellite. Nothing like pushing us back to the grey markets for satellites. We must also demand that for this $10.00 we need to see more canadian content. All i ever see on these networks are american shows. You want our money give us more Canadian shows.
  • I agree with you. There are so many shows that we are not interested in why should we pay for them. We wshould have the option of which channels we want.
  • Suzanne
    I gotta say, I never thought I'd see the day where I agreed with cable, but the networks are really pushing it with their demands. I'll start supporting them when they learn to support local tv. 5-10 bucks? seriously?
  • david_musky
    what you may not know it that these buys want us to bail them out after blowing their brains spending gobs of money on Hollywood product. In fact, industry sources say that CTV has purchased over $100 million on TV shows that it is not even broadcasting in order to prevent Global from getting them! If they want to be regulated to profitability, then lets impose spending quotas on their Hollywood spending and force them to be profitable. Why should we bail out their bad business decisions! I can't believe the government, the CRTC and other industry personnel are even buying into this scam!
  • Cut the expenses to lower their debts like everyone else has to!!!
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