Just a few weeks ago the FCC voted to allow one company to own newspaper, radio and TV in the same market. Yesterday, its counterpart in Canada, the
Canadian Radio Television Commission did just the opposite. After hearings on media diversity in that country, the CRTC voted in a rule that a person or corporate entity would be allowed to control only two types of media in the same market. They also imposed new limits on the ownership of broadcast licenses, ensuring that one entity would not control more than 45% of a radio or TV audience share in the market. It also bans deals between cable or satellite companies that would result in one company controlling the delivery of television programming in a single market.
CRTC chairman Konrad von Finckenstein issued a statment that noted, "With these new policies, we have developed a clear approach to guide us in assessing future transactions in the broadcasting industry..It is an approach that will preserve the plurality of editorial voices and the diversity of programming available to Canadians, both locally and nationally, while allowing for a strong and competitive industry."
Complete press release is here