The Nov. 7 article ‘Pay-TV applicants go to Ottawa – unprepared’ stated that three of the four companies seeking to launch new pay-TV channels – Spotlight Entertainment, Allarco Entertainment and Groupe Archambault – had not finished their paperwork in time for their CRTC hearings in October.

Specifically, it noted that they had not submitted programming grids.

CRTC director of discretionary services, Martine Vallée, has since explained that it wasn’t entirely their fault, noting that the commission did not have a clear procedure in place for new pay-TV channels, and so, the three applicants filed paperwork used to launch new Category 2 digital channels, which do not require grids. A fourth applicant used older paperwork relating to pay-TV.

All four ‘fell into a grey zone’ not covered by CRTC policies, says Vallée.