Sun TV asks for government help

[killer_carlson]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle7597155/

Here is a more balanced article

Sun TV is asking for the same treatment that CBC Newsworld recieved when it was first launched.

It is also asking for the same treatment currently recieved by:

CPAC
aboriginal Peoples Television Network
amongst 8 others
Vision tv is asking or its manditory status to continue

When you consider these facts, it comes out as not nearly as objectionable as it does as presented in that other article. My biggest prolem with the whole situation is that i cannot even choose to subscribe or not to the network, because Telus refuses to offer it as part of any of its packages. Al Jazeera and the BBC are offered, hell the Russian News Network is offered as well as dozens of oreign language channels, but not a Canadian based news channel. Someone at Telus is making that decision for me and I dont like it.

Sun TV is ripe for criticism of its anti CBC stance and deserves to take some heat on it. For a channel that promotes right wing views, compelling anything seems contrary to message. Sun TV has to stand up and explain.

However, because there seems to be a policy to compel certain channels, i think it will be more entertaining han CPAC and much more objective than the quality of programming on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Hell, the fact that Vision TV has to reapply suggests that the status is not permanent and can be reviewed periodically. The same could apply to Sun TV.

I know id much rather watch the channel that confronts Chief Spence's fiscal history, than one that embraces and excuses it.

[nik-]

Sun TV isn't a new station, it's an opinion station.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Yes, though there is a technical difference here.

Every single taxpayer has to fund the CBC whether they want to or not.

Sun TV is asking that every cable subscriber pay. Nominally, you have the choice to pay or not by keeping or canceling cable.

Not that it makes it any less ridiculous. Cable channels that have high viewership in key demographics - like TSN and Sportsnet - almost certainly don't get $4 per subscriber. Little watched news channels won't come close. It would be interesting to see what Sun TV does get as a subscriber fee today, however. Especially comapred to CTV Newsnet.

Res, TSN and SN get a lot more than $4 a year from each cable subscriber. In 2011 TSN got about a dollar a month (or $12 a year). SN got about 75% of that (so about $9 a year/subscriber).

CTV Newsnet got a total of 15.5 million in subscriber $ in 2011, so apparently less than what Sun News wants.

What is interesting is that Sun News, which launched in April 2011, declared no income from subscribers in 2011, so gave away their service the whole year, and had only 650k in add income, or less than 100k a month for the months they were on air. They spent over $7 million on salaries.

[Northendzone]

$47,000 per day

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Fox News Canada.

Yeah... We don't seem to be that big an ####### culture to warrant our own fox news, much less one that you need to pay premium premium cable bills for...

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by Julio

Res, TSN and SN get a lot more than $4 a year from each cable subscriber. In 2011 TSN got about a dollar a month (or $12 a year). SN got about 75% of that (so about $9 a year/subscriber).

CTV Newsnet got a total of 15.5 million in subscriber $ in 2011, so apparently less than what Sun News wants.

What is interesting is that Sun News, which launched in April 2011, declared no income from subscribers in 2011, so gave away their service the whole year, and had only 650k in add income, or less than 100k a month for the months they were on air. They spent over $7 million on salaries.

TSN and Sportsnet are channels that people want to watch. And are included in most basic cable packages. And turn profits enough to bid billions on NHL broadcasting rights.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rticle7597155/

Here is a more balanced article

Sun TV is asking for the same treatment that CBC Newsworld recieved when it was first launched.

It is also asking for the same treatment currently recieved by:

CPAC
aboriginal Peoples Television Network
amongst 8 others
Vision tv is asking or its manditory status to continue

When you consider these facts, it comes out as not nearly as objectionable as it does as presented in that other article. My biggest prolem with the whole situation is that i cannot even choose to subscribe or not to the network, because Telus refuses to offer it as part of any of its packages. Al Jazeera and the BBC are offered, hell the Russian News Network is offered as well as dozens of oreign language channels, but not a Canadian based news channel. Someone at Telus is making that decision for me and I dont like it.

Sun TV is ripe for criticism of its anti CBC stance and deserves to take some heat on it. For a channel that promotes right wing views, compelling anything seems contrary to message. Sun TV has to stand up and explain.

However, because there seems to be a policy to compel certain channels, i think it will be more entertaining han CPAC and much more objective than the quality of programming on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. Hell, the fact that Vision TV has to reapply suggests that the status is not permanent and can be reviewed periodically. The same could apply to Sun TV.

I know id much rather watch the channel that confronts Chief Spence's fiscal history, than one that embraces and excuses it.

The difference is those other stations positively extole the virtues of state intervention, where as Sun TV is the one going on about the wonders of a free enterprise market based economic model.

The hypocricy is staggering.

[HotHotHeat]

Sun Media has to be the worst conglomerate ever established. They make Fox News look good.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

The difference is those other stations positively extole the virtues of state intervention, where as Sun TV is the one going on about the wonders of a free enterprise market based economic model.

The hypocricy is staggering.

Maybe their economic model is privatizing profits while socializing losses. That does seem to be the way capitalism is evolving.

[killer_carlson]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

The difference is those other stations positively extole the virtues of state intervention, where as Sun TV is the one going on about the wonders of a free enterprise market based economic model.

The hypocricy is staggering.

Agreed. If successful they will wear this like an albatross around their necks.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Julio

Res, TSN and SN get a lot more than $4 a year from each cable subscriber. In 2011 TSN got about a dollar a month (or $12 a year). SN got about 75% of that (so about $9 a year/subscriber).

Hahahaha! Whoops. I'm so used to the carriage fees being listed as monthly costs, so I just assumed it was $4 per month. i.e.: some Sportsnets in the US get over $2 per month. ESPN was getting $4.50 per month in 2011.

So, basically, people are getting up in arms because Sun TV is doing what every other cable channel has to do, and ask for an adjustment on their carrier fee. And they are asking for 33 cents per month?

I don't care for Sun TV myself, but it seems a few people here are simply trying to invent hypocrisy. They have to play by the same regulatory rules as everyone else.

[GGG]

The real problem is that any channel is allowed to get mandatory fees from cable subscribers. If the CRTC had canadian consumers best interests at hearth they would mandate ala-cart offerings and have to subscribers forced to buy anything.

So maybe the Sun can actively criticize the CRTC for giving them money while at the same time cashing the checks. It would be pretty funny. I am not sure it is hypocritical as long as they continue to advocate for change and disclose that they are a beneficiary of this toxic benefit. If they chose not to take the subsidy and go bankrupt then no stations would be rallying against the subsidy.

But their end goal is probably just to take taxpayers money because its okay to subsidize private corporations just not public ones or people. Thats the true spirit of capitalism.

[mykalberta]

They should switch to digital pay as you go ala HBO & Playboy, if people want them they will choose them. If they dont then they wont.

Not much room for a 3rd news channel in Canada no matter their political leanings.

NewsWorld and NewsNet pretty much have the market covered, left and centre-ish.

[puckluck2]

Sun news is losing money I'm sure but they're probably only losing money because of how much they're paying themselves.

I would love to see how much their employees make and how it compares to other similiar jobs.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

My biggest prolem with the whole situation is that i cannot even choose to subscribe or not to the network, because Telus refuses to offer it as part of any of its packages. Al Jazeera and the BBC are offered, hell the Russian News Network is offered as well as dozens of oreign language channels, but not a Canadian based news channel. Someone at Telus is making that decision for me and I dont like it.

If Sun TV improved their product, then perhaps they would be carried by Telus. Mentioning them in the same breath as actual news organizations is hilarious - there is absolutely no comparison between Sun's "news" channel and Al Jazeera, BBC, and RT. Sun TV is a fringe opinion station and doesn't deserve a place among real news. And this isn't a right or left thing - the channel is crap no matter where it lies on the political spectrum.

[Senator Clay Davis]

It's insulting to Fox News to even mention SunTV in the same breath. Fox News is at least worth watching occasionally and when Glenn Beck was on, frequently. From an entertainment perspective, Fox is better, and from a straight news approach Fox is still better. And when you throw in SunTV's junior college level production values, it's not even worth watching to mock. It's just a flat out embarassement.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Iginla

Sun news is losing money I'm sure but they're probably only losing money because of how much they're paying themselves.

I would love to see how much their employees make and how it compares to other similiar jobs.

I agree, should be 100% transparency if they want money!

[troutman]

Sun News Asks Anti-Abortion Activists For Help With CRTC Application


http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01...n_2535614.html

[Julio]

Yet another anchor leaves Sun News:

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/01...n_2528633.html

[troutman]

CRTC denies Sun News spot on basic digital cable

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/repor...ticle13655828/

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/com100/201...m#.UgPFbqwne-U

Given its exceptional nature, the CRTC has set the bar very high for obtaining a mandatory distribution order. The CRTC’s policy requires that a service seeking such an order must clearly demonstrate its exceptional nature and that it achieves important public policy objectives under the Broadcasting Act.

The applications from the following services were denied, not having successfully demonstrated to the CRTC that they met the criteria for a mandatory distribution order:

• Accents
• All Points Bulletin
• Canadian Punjabi Network
• Described Video Guide
• Dolobox TV
• EqualiTV
• Fusion
• Maximum Television Canada
• Starlight: The Canadian Movie Channel
• Sun News Network
• La télévision des ressources naturelles
• Vision TV