Competition Bureau Submits Comments in Commercial Radio Policy Review

Ottawa, March 21, 2006 – The Competition Bureau has filed a submission to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to ensure that competitive factors are taken into consideration in the Commission's commercial radio policy review.

In its submission, filed on March 15, the Bureau focused primarily on issues related to radio station mergers, local management agreements ("LMAs") and the regulatory approach to activities over new and emerging distribution platforms. 

In particular, the Bureau encouraged the CRTC to consider the following points: 

• Where the Commission wishes to assess the impact of a broadcasting merger on competition for advertising dollars, it should do so in accordance with well recognized competition principles. These principles are reflected in the Bureau's Merger Enforcement Guidelines and are consistent with the approach taken in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
•  Where the Commission approves a radio station merger or LMA that will likely result in a significant increase in local advertising rates, but does so with a view to implementing one or more of the objectives under the Broadcasting Act, it should clearly explain to stakeholders how it has balanced these interests and how permitting such anti-competitive behaviour is justified in the circumstances.
•  With the emergence of new media technologies, the Commission should work toward achieving a consistency and neutrality in its regulation.  This should be done not through regulating new forms of broadcasting but through deregulating traditional ones, as broadcasters adapt to compete with new distribution platforms.

The CRTC initiated a review of its commercial radio policy through Public Notice 2006-1, issued on January 13, 2006.

An executive summary of the submission is available on the Bureau’s Web site. The complete comments of the Commissioner of Competition are available on the CRTC’s Web site at:
http://support.crtc.gc.ca /applicant/docs.aspx?pn_ph_no=2006-1&call_id=29678&lang=E&defaultNam e=Competition%20Bureau.
 
In addition to enforcing the various provisions of the Competition Act, the Commissioner of Competition has a statutory right to intervene before federal regulatory boards, tribunals and other agencies to make representations concerning competition.

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency. We contribute to the prosperity of Canadians by protecting and promoting competitive markets and enabling informed consumer choice.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Eric Glaude
Communications Advisor
(819) 953-9760 

For general enquiries, please contact:
Information Centre
Competition Bureau
(819) 997-4282
1-800-348-5358