WildBrain has filed a request to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to determine whether it has been the subject of undue disadvantage from telecommunications company Bell for its children’s discretionary services.
The filing, which has been heavily redacted, was published on the CRTC website on Aug. 9. The Toronto-headquartered media company alleges in the filing that Bell has breached section nine of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations under the Broadcasting Act, which states that licensees cannot give undue preference or undue disadvantage to itself or other companies.
WildBrain linear channels Family Channel, Family Jr., WildBrain TV and French-language channel Télémagino are all named in the document.
The reasoning behind the allegation is redacted within the public filing. WildBrain requested confidentiality from the CRTC regarding information within the full request, arguing that publishing the information would “result in direct harm to WildBrain in the context of its negotiations with third parties.”
However, the document does include a claim that by giving WildBrain channels undue disadvantage, Bell has created a direct advantage for Corus Entertainment, which the company identifies as one of two “principal players” in the children’s discretionary television market.
WildBrain told Playback Daily that it “cannot comment on ongoing contract negotiations or regulatory matters” but that it is “deeply committed to continuing to bring quality content to kids and families in Canada across our English-language television services.”
A representative of Bell said the company will file a response to the application before the deadline.
The CRTC has set a deadline of Sept. 8 for third-party intervenors to comment on the proceedings.
Bell has been involved in a number of carriage disputes in recent years, both with media company Quebecor and its subsidiary Videotron.
Updated with comment from Bell.
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