Bell Media asks regulator to remove its obligations to local TV news

Bell Media has asked the federal broadcast regulator to drop the spending requirements and dedicated airtime imposed on the company's local television news programming.

BCE's media arm says it wants the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to amend "certain conditions of licence" regarding its local English- and French-language TV stations, CTV and Noovo.

Bell Media calls it "regulatory relief" to counter online competition and help offset losses racked up in recent years.

"Unfortunately, Bell Media has been losing tens of millions alone in the production and delivery of local news," it said in a summary of the application posted Friday and filed on June 14 — the same day BCE announced it's cutting 1,300 positions, shutting or selling nine radio stations and closing two foreign bureaus.

"In the four-year period between 2016 and 2019, [Bell Media's] average annual news operating loss was $28.4 million," the company said.

It said that number increased to $40 million last year because of internet advertising that has captured a "massive share" of revenue from Canadian businesses.

Last week's layoffs included a six per cent cut at Bell Media.

Fewer hours for local news 

The company wants the CRTC to waive requirements for the number of hours its TV stations must devote to local news each week.

Bell Media said the commission said in 2021 that the average number of hours Canadians spent watching traditional television services has decreased a total of 16.5 per cent since 2013.

"Over the last decade, the operating environment for traditional, private Canadian broadcasters has changed dramatically," the company said.

"Whereas in the past, Canadians looked to domestic services for information and entertainment, they can now access a virtually unlimited array of DMBUs [digital media broadcasting undertakings] such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple+, most of which are foreign‑owned and controlled."

Bell said the CRTC's implementation of the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11) has the potential to provide relief to media companies through compensation from online streaming giants, but it cannot afford to wait for outcome of the regulator's consultations on the legislation.

Union vows to fight for programming

Unifor, one of Canada's largest unions in the media sector, said it strongly opposes the application to eliminate the regulatory requirements.

"We will do everything in our power to ensure that Bell Media continues to live up to its legislated obligations to fund and create local news and programming," Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement.

"If approved, Bell Media's outrageous and misguided scheme would deprive the Canadian public of vital local news and programming, while putting hundreds of highly trained and professional journalists out of work," Payne added. 

She said the union will be filing a formal response with the CRTC in the coming weeks.