(Montreal) Groupe TVA has decided to end its regional bulletins in Quebec City before obtaining authorization from the CRTC, The Canadian Press has learned. The company replies that it has no choice because of the “long delays” of the organization that regulates broadcasting in the country.
Quebec’s largest private broadcaster announced last week its decision to stop broadcasting local newscasts in the Capitale-Nationale region on weekends starting June 19.
Groupe TVA filed a request to that effect, the day before the announcement, with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), but the company will put its plans into action before obtaining an answer.
Faced with the “too long” administrative delays of the CRTC, Groupe TVA had no choice “to make difficult decisions now,” replies the spokesperson for the Quebecor parent company, Véronique Mercier. “Considering the company’s financial situation and the fierce competition, waiting for months or even years was not an option. »
At the CRTC, we did not want to comment on the steps taken by Groupe TVA. “The CRTC, being a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, is not in a position to discuss the files opened before the council,” replies its spokesperson.
In its motion, Groupe TVA considers that it is being treated unfairly compared to Radio-Canada, which obtained relief under the conditions of its license for its Quebec station in July 2022. The public broadcaster must still broadcast bulletins news every day of the week.
“In order to ensure the sustainability of our activities, we have repeatedly asked the CRTC for several years for regulatory and financial relief, denounces Mr.me Mercier. Instead of acting, the CRTC decided last July to renew our conditions of license for two years without any change, while the public broadcaster was granted significant relief. »