A group representing Canada's biggest telecommunications companies has sent a letter to the head of the national regulator asking him to study the growth of new, foreign broadcast players like Netflix Inc. The letter asks CRTC Chair Konrad Von Finckenstein to launch a public consultation process to "determine whether and how such non-Canadian companies should support Canadian cultural programming."
Tuesday on Twitter, Industry Minister Tony Clement said that regulating Netflix would be "offside" with the Tory government's directive to encourage more choice and competition. Netflix first shook up the DVD rental and cable business in Canada last September when it began streaming unlimited movies and TV shows for a flat rate of $7.99 per month. Unlike traditional cable companies, the company is not bound by the CRTC to help fund Canadian programming.
The letter is signed by Alain Gourd, head of the Over-The-Top Services Working Group, which is made up of roughly 35 industry executives including ones at Astral Media Inc. and Rogers Communications Corp.
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