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Sun News Network asks to be included in basic cable package

Posted By: Justine Lewkowicz · 1/22/2013 5:36:00 AM

Sun News Network is asking the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission to include its channel in basic cable packages.

The network says its losses have reached $17-million a year, and it needs to be broadcast in every home to recover.

"Mandatory carriage" would give the network 18 cents per month per subscriber, or about $18-million a year.

The CRTC is to hold a hearing to consider the request on April 23.

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  1. Opiner posted on 01/22/2013 07:39 AM
    Let me see if I have this correct. Generally a company loses money because they make a poor product and few people buy the item. So instead of making a better product, Sun News believes Canadians should be forced to watch their network and pay for the privilege. What a great idea! I think I will create a network (I will broadcast images of paint drying) and ask for the same rights.
    1. JD posted on 01/22/2013 07:52 AM
      @Opiner Oh you don't think Canadians should be forced to watch a network and pay for the privilege.... LIKE THE CBC. a billion dollar leftist, anti consertive netowrk that spouts drivel on a national scale. Sun News at least presents another side of the story, unlike the CBC and CTV. It would provide much sorely needed balance. Give you head a shake.
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  2. uxdude posted on 01/22/2013 07:52 AM
    So, the taxpayers must pay for the CBC to be in basic cable, Global, City TV etc are all part of the "basic". So it's just the Sun News network you want to excluded? Yep another commie loving leftard makes a comment.
    1. jimSmith posted on 01/22/2013 07:09 PM
      @uxdude Very, very few stations have mandatory carriage. Most are public service. None are English language news channels. The cable company dictates what else to include in their basic package base on their perception of what the average customer wants. Sun news fans need to either lobby their cable company to include it or pay the extra and let the free market decide their fate.
  3. MichaelB_2952 posted on 01/22/2013 07:53 AM
    Sun News (Faux News North) doesn't care about how many people are watching. It just wants money from cable/satellite subscribers.

    Personally, I think that the aquarium channel is much more interesting than Sun News.
    1. Bob Walker posted on 01/22/2013 10:39 AM
      @MichaelB_2952 Then don't watch it... and by your idiotic non-logic, CBC, Global and CTV news networks should also be removed from basic cable services because I feel they are poorly produced, biased and poor quality?

      See, dumbs&$t, it works both ways. Your opinon is just that, your opinion, and it is meaningless.
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  4. Opiner posted on 01/22/2013 08:23 AM
    To JD and uxdude,
    My opinion applies to any network that is losing money. It has nothing to do with political slant. I am a Randian capitalist. If no one wants to watch a Liberal station, they shouldn't be forced to. If no one wants to watch a Conservative station, they shouldn't be forced to. Equal and level playing field. Not sure why you believe me to be a, let me see if I have the quote right, "commie loving leftard". I accept your apologies in advance.
    1. CoffeeCon posted on 01/22/2013 09:56 AM
      @Opiner All we have now are leftie communist news stations, they are the only news station that isn't owned by Bell and Rogers, unless you count the CBC.

      I think it would be revolutionary to have a conservative news station on cable, the CRTC needs to act on this and ignore the silly astro-turfing of comment sections by publicists.
    2. Uxdude posted on 01/22/2013 10:35 AM
      @Opiner CBC loses money every moment they are in operation. They are propped up by full taxpayer support. If you take Global, City TV etc off of the basic cable package and remove those revenues, they also would be running in the red.

      No aplogy offered. I was forced to watch Liberal news because that is all that existed before Sun News due to lack of choice. Now I have choice and I watch BOTH. So they are asking for a level playing field, the same access to revenue that every other main stream media outlet already has but YOU decide that's not fail. That is lefty thinking through and through.
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  5. Stug posted on 01/22/2013 10:25 AM
    request denied! we need to keep hatred right wing propaganda off the airwaves
    1. Paul posted on 01/22/2013 10:34 AM
      @Stug This from the man who is ALWAYS spewing "left wing" hatred and propaganda. "Right" "Left", you haven't broken down into 2 simple field. I am sure you consider yourself a very liberal, forward thinking person. Your rhetoric is always the ame. Change it up a bit, it gets boring.
    2. Bob Walker posted on 01/22/2013 10:42 AM
      @Stug So we only sponsor biased left wing hatred like yours? WOW, what an open-minded tool you are... There is of you on Wiki... under the dedination of Left Wing Hyprocraic Idiot...
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  6. justme posted on 01/22/2013 10:56 AM
    Sun "news" is a joke! That's why nobody watches. It has nothing to do with left vs right. It's about news vs crap. Spin it any way you want, that network is just bad and no forcing it on a basic cable package is going to change anything. I gave it a try when it first came out and now I just blocked it from my channel lineup. Go back to the drawing board people. You network is NOT worth watching.
  7. Brandon posted on 01/22/2013 01:53 PM
    Can we just trash the current system and make it a pay per channel thing? I think it is stupid to have to pay for multiple channels just to get the one we want. If people want to watch Sun and only Sun, they should be able to do so. If people want to watch CBC and only CBC they should be able to do so. If they want to watch both, let them have the ability to. But just because someone wants to watch one they shouldn't have to pay for another.

    Just because a company is losing money doesn't mean they should be forced upon people, be it Sun or CBC.
  8. Herry69 posted on 01/23/2013 08:29 AM
    they are losing money because of their executive board. too many hands are getting greased and they alienate readers. they banned me from commenting years ago for me trashing garrioch. garrioch is an id-iot and they didn't like that. so much for freedom of speech or freedom of expression. they pi-- people off and you wonder why THEY are whining about needed more money. GREEDY A--HOLES !!!!
  9. Utah posted on 01/23/2013 09:42 AM
    Sun News Network has certainly changed its tune from what they defiantly stated back in Sept 2010.

    Here's a direct quote from a Sept 2010 article written by By KORY TENEYCKE, QMI Agency:

    The final lie most of the media stories, petitions and general ankle-biting from our competitors promote is about money. Sun TV News is not, nor has it ever, asked for “mandatory carriage” by cable or satellite companies.

    As the critics correctly point out, this would be tantamount to a tax on everyone with cable or satellite service. It is what CBC News Network has, but not what we are asking for.

    We are simply asking for the channel to be “offered” by the distributors. This is meant to allow any Canadian who wants to get the channel to be able to call their cable or satellite company and subscribe to it. It does not mean it is a part of the basic cable or satellite package, nor does it dictate what (if any) package it would be a part of. We believe those should be private negotiations between Sun TV News and each individual cable and satellite provider.

    If the so-called journalists and commentators writing on this issue had read our application they would have seen we project 17% market penetration in year one, growing to 45% in year five. If we were assuming mandatory carriage, instead of mandatory access it would start (and stay) at 100%.

    All of these lies, half-truths and slander underline the need for Sun TV News. Canadians deserve better from their media, and we are committed to providing it.

    — Teneycke is Vice-President of Development for Quebecor Media
  10. randedge posted on 01/25/2013 10:24 PM
    I believe we should hold Sun News Network to their word. In 2010, Sun newspapers carried this editorial :
    "Sun TV News... will never ask for a single dollar from the pocket of the Canadian taxpayer, and never had the intention or even the wish to do so."
    http://www.torontosun.com/comment/editorial/2010/10/15/15708051.html

    I therefore believe that, since they have made their living slamming public funding of media, as well as leaning to the right most times when it comes to public spending topics, then they should be allowed to live up to their original mandate. Don't get me wrong, I'm a centrist and I happen to favour having a public broadcaster, but I don't believe in HYPOCRISY! I would not want Sun Media to get away with such hypocritical 180 degree turnaround. Now that they find they would benefit from public funding, they all of a sudden feel the need to join the group they themselves would have labeled as "entitled".
  11. Don'tCare posted on 01/29/2013 02:36 PM
    Sun News Network should not be in the basic cable package. Most of there commentary is not fully researched, their main reason for the loss of business so big (n) thumbs down on them.
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