Posted on 07/16/2004 4:44:17 PM PDT by Loyalist
TORONTO — The controversial Arabic-language TV station Al-Jazeera got approval yesterday for digital distribution in Canada -- but don't expect to see its programming any time soon, if ever, via Canadian cable companies and direct-to-home satellite services.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced from Ottawa that Al-Jazeera, the Qatar-based network often called "the CNN of the Arab world," would be eligible for delivery as a specialty digital service along with eight other "non-Canadian third-language services." At the same time, the CRTC turned down requests by six other non-Canadian "ethnic" channels for the same status, including a hotly contested application to carry RAI International, the Italian public broadcaster, that had considerable support from Italian-Canadians.
Michael Hennessy, president of the Canadian Cable Television Association, which applied more than a year ago to get the 15 third-language services approved for distribution in Canada, said he was particularly "stunned" by yesterday's Al-Jazeera decision. While the CRTC approved its eligibility, it also said whoever distributes the network has to meet what Hennessy called "totally unprecedented conditions:" It has to keep "an audio-visual recording" of all Al-Jazeera programming; and it has to prohibit "abusive comment" from airing on Canadian TV sets, to the extent of permitting distributors to "alter or curtail" Al-Jazeera shows to accomplish that.
Hennessy said these provisos "ensure that no distributor will carry [Al-Jazeera] in this country" because it requires the distributor to assume "a role in controlling content that we don't originate. It's a frightening precedent." He predicted that Arab-Canadians and Italian-Canadians, for that matter, will turn to U.S. satellites and other illegal "grey-market technologies" to get the programming that the CRTC either has denied or restricted.
Hennessy's view was echoed somewhat by Omar Al Ghabra, president of the Canadian Arab Federation. While Al Ghabra described the CRTC decision as "a positive step" and recognition that the estimated 500,000 Arab-Canadians have been underserved to date, the Al-Jazeera provisos "are consistent with other foreign-language decisions," he said. "It presumes guilt before the channel even begins performing."
The restrictions on Al-Jazeera seem to have been inspired, in part, by concerns from the Canadian Jewish Congress and B'nai Brith Canada, which objected to the Al-Jazeera bid, saying it would bring "hateful messaging and anti-Semitic themes" to the country's TV sets if approved unconditionally. Yesterday B'nai Brith said the CRTC was showing "an inconsistent approach," providing "official approval for incendiary programming" from an off-shore broadcaster just two days after it decided to shut down Quebec radio station CHOI. But the CJC "welcomed the conditions" placed on the Qatar channel, saying it struck a balance between the right of free speech and the need to protect minorities.
However, Hennessy said the decision strikes "the wrong balance" between meeting the demands of the country's ethnic communities for programming in their native tongue and the policy demands of the Broadcast Act, which says non-Canadian services should not unduly overlap the programming provided by licensed Canadian-owned broadcasters.
The CRTC seemed to acknowledge this when it announced it would be reviewing its digital-distribution policies "to determine whether there are ways to improve access to non-Canadian third-language programming while continuing to foster" Canadian services.
Meanwhile, Aldo Di Felice, president of Telelatino, the 20-year-old Toronto-based Italian-language network, said he hoped the CRTC's rebuff of RAI International would force the Italian broadcaster to abandon its "misguided strategy" of trying to beam its programming directly to Canada. Now it has the option of either working toward the creation of a digital RAI Canada, in co-operation with TLN or restoring the programming it cut to TLN last fall when it decided to try to get its own licence through the CRTC.
Three of the largest cablecos in Canada--Rogers, Shaw and Cogeco--are refusing to carry it.
The rest will likely follow suit.
Too bad....Canada being a terrorist supporting nation is elligible for invasion and US advisors sent to rally, arm, equip and train Canadian patriots...
Free Canada from the Isamo-fascist loving Marxist thug regime....
Thank the stupid people electing a stupid government.
Poses a problem for those of us who support the philosopohy of "free speech", doesn't it? I trust the TV companies in Canada have the good sense not to sign
any contracts with The Voice of Terror. Of those Al Jazeera contributors I've heard being interviewed on BBC Radio 4 their contempt and deep loathing of us was glaringly apparent. (Of course we are not allowed the luxury of expressing reciprocal sentiments!)
Sorry but I just re-read the initial posting containing the phrase
"Al Ghabra described the CRTC decision as "a positive step" and recognition that the estimated 500,000 Arab-Canadians have been under-served..."
What ARE "Arab-Canadians"? And "under served"? Perhaps in Canada 500,000 is considered a substantial presence meriting special attention, but as people who have been integrated into the population I would have thought they were now "Canadians" amply served by the plethora of existing radio and TV services in their new home country. I imagined most of them had re-settled in Canada to escape from Middle Eastern tyrannies - or even direct reminders of them and their often questionable activities.
What's the story here. Did the CRTC come down on the Frenchies for being anti-Semitic? Or for failing to parrot the Liberal government line?
See this Globe and Mail article, posted by TU THANH HA:
Free-speech fight erupts after CRTC bans station
There is also talk being mooted that Mother Corp was interested in acquiring this station. As Mother Corp is viewed fondly by CRTC (I dare say that the relationship is intellectually incestuous) there may be more to the issue than meets the eye.
Not necessarily. As long as the Canadian government prohibits the broadcast of FoxNews and encourages the broadcast of al Jazeera, I think we have a legitimate complaint.
So, Fillion admires the work of Howard Stern. That may disqualify him and his listeners so far as good taste is concerned, but "tasteless" is clearly a viable market segment. It's no reason to yank a station license.
The deal does smell of censorship in the service of corruption, as you suggested.
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