Rogers Demands Bell to Sell Astral’s Pay TV Services in English before Approval

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Rogers Communications Inc. mentioned in a statement on Tuesday that Bell should at least be obligated to sell Astral’s Movie Network pay TV service, in case, CRTC intends to approve the $3.4-billion revised merger of the two companies. Furthermore, Rogers informed the regulatory hearing into the proposed deal that it is interested to buy Astral’s Movie Network for itself and take it into its own services, including mobile and on-demand.

At the hearing Rogers alleged that it suspects that Bell will impose financial terms intending to make it more difficult to get the English-language pay TV service’s movies and programs, consequently making it unfavorably expensive for consumers. The vice-president of regulatory at Rogers, Ken Engelhart, mentioned at the hearing that “these are premium services that hold the multi platform rights to ‘must have’ feature films and HBO series.” He explained that “they are the jewels in the Astral crown. We think it would be unwise to allow these services to be acquired by Bell Media.” Last year CRTC rejected the proposal of Bell’s purchase of Astral Media, asserting that it wasn’t in the best interests of Canadians and that it will make Bell too dominant especially in the TV market.

Upon inquiry at the hearing on Tuesday, Rogers told the CRTC that it was an interested buyer. Discussing Astral’s Movie Network, Engelhart stated that “we would at least look at TMN.” When inquired by the CRTC who else will be willing to buy the English pay TV services other than Rogers, Engelhart replied: “I think with the amount of money that thing generates there will be a buyer.”