Fox News is coming to Canada and broadcasters are not amused – least of all CTV, which is crying foul over the CRTC’s recent decision to allow the news outlet into Canada as a digital channel, arguing that its own cable news channel can’t compete with the U.S. giant.

‘The issue is fairness,’ says CTV news president Robert Hurst. ‘This makes Fox News the sixth American television news service to be approved for broadcast in Canada – without any format restrictions.’

Since the summer, CTV Newsnet has been seeking to change the terms of its licence, claiming that the requirement that it air headline news every 15 minutes is too strict. Newsnet renewed its complaints after the Fox News approval, which the feds handed down on Nov. 18, ending five months of industry-wide debate over the controversial channel.

Hurst says his net should be allowed to compete ‘head-on with Fox News or any other foreign news channels. That’s what our application is all about.’

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters opposed the Fox application – arguing that the channel carries no Canadian content and contributes nothing to the domestic system.

Fox and Global Television were, at one point, in talks to collaborate on a Canadian-ized version of the news channel, similar to the digichannel Fox Sports Canada. These plans were eventually dropped and the Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association called for the regular U.S. signal to be carried in Canada.

‘Fox News provides Canadians with a different perspective on world events… and an excellent complement to the current Canadian digital lineup,’ says CCTA president Michael Hennessy.

The application was supported by 531 groups and individuals – including B’nai Brith Canada and the conservative lobby group Real Women of Canada, which sees Fox News as an alternative take on world events.

Eighty-two parties opposed the application, some of which claim the channel has a right-wing bias.

The CRTC also approved the NFL Network as a digital service in Canada. CAB opposed that application, too, claiming the all-football channel would hurt Canadian casters that already carried NFL games.

Both digital channels will likely be available to consumers in the new year.

In separate decisions, the feds also greenlit the sale of Craig Media to CHUM, and the sale of Craig’s former station Toronto 1 to TVA (see story, p. 2).

-www.foxnews.com

-www.crtc.gc.ca