Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
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Letter
Ottawa, 20 March, 2009
By E-Mail
Our File No.: 8622-C151-200905102
Ms. Susan Wheeler
Vice President, Regulatory Affairs
Rogers Media
susan.wheeler@rci.rogers.com
Ms. Alyson J. Townsend
President and CEO
Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc.
atownsend@ccsa.cable.ca
Dear Mesdames:
Re: Canadian Cable systems Alliance Inc. (CCSA) request for Final Offer Arbitration to resolve a commercial dispute between the CCSA and Rogers Sportsnet Inc. (Rogers)
The Commission is in receipt of a letter from Rogers dated 19 March 2009 in which Rogers states its concerns with respect to the determinations and process outlined in a letter from the Commission dated 18 March 2009.
In a letter to the Commission also dated 19 March 2009, CCSA stated that Rogers’ letter of 19 March 2009 was an attempt to delay determination of the issues while continuing to deny Canadian subscribers in Saskatchewan access to signals in order to force CCSA member Companies into submitting to Sportsnet’s demands for major rate increases.
In response to these letters, the Commission hereby reiterates its intention to proceed to hear the parties on this dispute on an expedited basis by means of an oral public hearing, as stated in the process letter of 18 March 2009. The Commission notes that this is not a mandatory order hearing. The Commission expects to receive detailed memorandums, with supporting evidence, on the issues raised by the parties in their respective submissions already on the record which includes, but is not limited to, the issue of whether the Commission can and/or should set rates for Sportsnet’s signals and if so, what these rates should be.
The Commission notes that the process for confidentiality has been addressed in its letter dated 18 March 2009 and invites the parties to make use of this process should they wish to do so. The Commission further notes that oral hearings are presumed to be public but that it has held portions of hearings in camera in the past when necessary.
At this time, the dates and times for submissions and the oral public hearing remain as referenced in the Commission’s letter dated 18 March 2009.
Yours sincerely,
Original singed by
Gerry Lylyk
Director
Dispute Resolution
CC: K. Taylor, CRTC,
Ken Engelhart,
Aivy Reinfelds, VP Television Development and Distribution, RSN
Tony Viner, President, RSN,
Doug Beeforth, President, RSN
doug.beeforth@sportsnet.rogers.com
Chris Edwards. VP Corporate & Regulatory, CCSA
