Thursday, January 7, 2016

What will the dial look like in a pick-and-pay world?

Good piece on the new pay TV regime by the Globe's James Bradshaw. Excerpt:
"A series of consumer-focused decisions announced by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will substantially shake up the way channels are bought and sold. Most notably for viewers, the new dictates will shrink some basic cable and satellite packages from an average size of 50 or more channels to perhaps a dozen by May, 2016, and let subscribers choose the individual channels they want to add by the end of that year.
"Until now, Canadian TV has been built on a model that has bundled most networks together in groups, spreading costs and drawing revenue from millions of customers. But as viewers gain unprecedented control in picking what they pay for, many stations will have to adapt to stay afloat. Local and national networks aside, Canada has close to 300 specialty channels, and some that have masked low ratings by riding the coattails of their more popular neighbours could soon be exposed. To stand out in a more competitive field, they will have to invest in better content and sophisticated marketing."

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