Foxnews

[j2k4]

Well?

What about it?

Keeping in mind, of course, that FOXNEWS is now banned in Canada, though Al Jazeera is welcomed; if Canada doesn't like it, it must really be bad, huh?

[clocker]

Fox News is banned in Canada?
I just saw Bill O on the tube last night and he didn't appear to be frothing at the mouth any more than usual...has he been informed?

[Biggles]

I don't see FOX very often (by choice I confess) but the ratio of hits on Canada to the little I have seen would suggest that FOX don't like Canada much either.

[vidcc]

I believe that a while back it was in a package and the package was refused license because of duplication of service or something equivelent. It wasn't offered as a "stand alone" channel and was bundled with such channels as Nickleodeon Kids, Flix, Sundance, ESPN and Cinemax.
Could you point to a credible news source that states it's "banned" as i haven't heard that they re-applied.
thanks

[spinningfreemanny]

Originally posted by clocker@10 August 2004 - 22:58
Fox News is banned in Canada?
I just saw Bill O on the tube last night and he didn't appear to be frothing at the mouth any more than usual...has he been informed?

I just seen his interview with Ben Affleck; heck, almost nice.

[j2k4]

Originally posted by vidcc@10 August 2004 - 18:07
Could you point to a credible news source that states it's "banned"

No-I'm Conservative and don't know what's credible and what's not.

Don't take my word for it; after all, I don't live there, so how would I know, right?

[Busyman]

Originally posted by j2k4+10 August 2004 - 21:07--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (j2k4 @ 10 August 2004 - 21:07)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-vidcc@10 August 2004 - 18:07
Could you point to a credible news source that states it&#39;s "banned"

No-I&#39;m Conservative and don&#39;t know what&#39;s credible and what&#39;s not.

Don&#39;t take my word for it; after all, I don&#39;t live there, so how would I know, right? [/b][/quote]
Well..........you brought it up.

[vidcc]

Originally posted by j2k4+10 August 2004 - 19:07--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (j2k4 &#064; 10 August 2004 - 19:07)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-vidcc@10 August 2004 - 18:07
Could you point to a credible news source that states it&#39;s "banned"

No-I&#39;m Conservative and don&#39;t know what&#39;s credible and what&#39;s not.

Don&#39;t take my word for it; after all, I don&#39;t live there, so how would I know, right? [/b][/quote]
I just ask for a source... such as say..the fox news network.
I searched myself and couldn&#39;t find a story that said that the fox channel had been refused application as a stand alone channel, or had even re-applied after the package it was in failed.
Before i discuss the rights and wrongs of the original point i would like to know that it is in fact "banned"

[j2k4]

After welcoming CNN, Al Jazeera, et.al. to the Canadian fold, FOXNEWS was omitted from the standard satellite non-Canadian programming menu, for whatever reason; apparently the Canadian Cable Television Association had requested, as a last-gasp effort, to make FOXNEWS available in Canada on a "special and/or pay" basis, provided FOX do a bit of re-formulating to become FOX NEWS CANADA, and, in order to gain this distribution, broadcast in digital format, which FOX decided not to do, as apparently they are feeling "singled out" (the other news outlets are apparently not required to do this).

Fox opted out at this point.

I have highlighted the relevant sections in red.

This comes directly from the CRTC (Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission) archive.

Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-45
Ottawa, 9 July 2004
Call for comments on proposals for the addition of Fox News and NFL Network to the lists of satellite services eligible for distribution on a digital basis
The requests
1.
The Commission has received two separate requests from the Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA), acting as the Canadian sponsor, to add two non-Canadian satellite services to the lists of satellite services eligible for distribution on a digital basis (the digital lists). The CCTA described the non-Canadian services as follows:
Fox News: A 24 hour seven day per week national U.S. cable news network devoted to delivering objective coverage of the day’s events. The service broadcasts original news and information programs including live breaking news stories and coverage of significant events in the United States and around the world.

NFL Network: A 24 hour year round television lifestyle and entertainment sports service for NFL fans intended to complement and promote NFL games that are aired by other broadcasters. NFL Network broadcasts original news and information shows, magazine style shows and a weekly game preview show. Programming also includes press conferences, fantasy football shows and in 2004 some live exhibition games. NFL Network is not a live event sports service and will not be carrying live NFL games with the exception of some exhibition games and NFL Europe League games not currently offered by existing Canadian broadcasters.

2.
The CCTA stated that authorizing the above services for distribution in Canada would be beneficial to the Canadian broadcasting system in that the services would (i) offer Canadian viewers the benefit of increased choice, (ii) increase the penetration of digital services which, in its view, is critical for the health of Canadian diginet services, high definition television, video-on-demand and potential interactive services, and (iii) be an effective tool in combating the appeal of the black market.
Background
3.
In Call for proposals to amend the lists of eligible satellite services through the inclusion of additional non-Canadian services eligible for distribution on a digital basis only, Public Notice CRTC 2000-173, 14 December 2000 (Public Notice 2000-173), the Commission invited proposals to amend the lists of eligible satellite services through the inclusion of additional non-Canadian programming services that would be authorized for distribution on a digital basis only. The Commission also stated in Public Notice 2000-173 that any such requests must include the following:
evidence that the non-Canadian service has agreed to be sponsored by the Canadian party filing the proposal;

a statement from the service provider that it has obtained all necessary rights for distribution of its programming in Canada;

a brief description of the service;

a copy of the current program schedule;

evidence of potential demand, as gathered through discussions with distributors; and

an undertaking from the non-Canadian service provider that it does not hold, will not obtain, nor will it exercise, preferential or exclusive programming rights in relation to the distribution of programming in Canada.

4.
The Commission is satisfied that the CCTA has provided the supporting information required by Public Notice 2000-173 and that it is now appropriate to call for comments on the requests set out above.
5.
As stated in Public Notice 2000-173, the Commission intends to assess the current requests against the background of its general policy which, among other things, generally precludes the addition to the lists of eligible satellite services of new non-Canadian satellite services that are either partially or totally competitive with Canadian specialty or pay television services. In applying this policy, the Commission will take into account the services of all specialty and pay television programming undertakings whose licence applications have been approved by the Commission, including all of the launched and unlaunched Category 1 and Category 2 specialty and pay television services.
The sponsor’s views on competitiveness
6.
With respect to NFL Network, the CCTA submitted that this service would not be partially or totally competitive with a licensed Canadian specialty or pay television service. The CCTA stated that NFL Network would complement both the live NFL games currently aired by Canadian broadcasters and the NFL Sunday Ticket pay package offered on a digital basis by Canadian cable companies.
7.
The CCTA was of the view that Fox News would serve to complement the news currently aired by Canadian broadcasters. Further, the CCTA submitted that the Commission has already recognized that non-Canadian news and information satellite services are not competitive with licensed Canadian services that operate with similar formats. In this regard, the CCTA noted that the Commission has added such non-Canadian news services as CNN, CNN Headline News, C-Span, Euronews and BBC World to the lists of eligible satellite services despite the existence of Canadian services such as CBC Newsworld and CTV Newsnet.
8.
In Fox News Canada, Decision CRTC 2000-565, 14 December 2000, the Commission approved an application by Global Television Network (OBCI) (Global) for a new Canadian Category 2 specialty programming service to be known as Fox News Canada. In Deadline to commence operation of Category 2 specialty and pay television services, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-599, 16 December 2003, the Commission approved a request by Global for a one year final extension until 24 November 2004 to the implementation date for Fox News Canada.
9.
The CCTA attached to its request a letter dated 31 March 2004 from Fox News, the non-Canadian partner in Fox News Canada. In that letter, Fox News addressed the Fox News Canada service as follows: "Fox News does not intend to implement this service and therefore will not meet the extended deadline to commence operations." The Commission notes that the CCTA did not provide any information from Global concerning Global’s plans for Fox News Canada.

[j2k4]

FOXNEWS evidently gave up the ghost due to concerns that further attempts to gain access would be met with more of these little road-blocks.

In any case, it is not my intent to discuss the viablity of FOXNEWS in Canada, but to stick to the stated topic per the header.