The Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission rules on the 3.3-billion dollar merger between Bell and Astral on Thursday.

Bell's parent, BCE is trying to buy Astral but it requires two regulatory approvals, the CRTC and the Competitition Bureau.

The CRTC ruling is to be released at 4 o'clock.

Commission chairman Jean-Pierre Blais is already on record as saying "this is a large transaction that could have a significant impact on the Canadian broadcasting sector and the broader communication system. In fact, he says "it could affect all Canadians."

(files by D. Agar)