Sun TV News denied a Category 1 application by the CRTC

If you're wondering what happened with Quebecor's attempt to imbue their upcoming Sun TV News (which has been frequently dubbed "Fox News North") with a "must carry" license for all cable and satellite providers, you shouldn't be too surprised to learn that the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has denied their request.

The Commission recently announced that they would not be considering any new "Category 1" digital stations until after the digital transition is complete in August 2011. A Category 1 license ensures that all cable and satellite providers must carry the service and offer it to their customers, which essentially guarantees both exposure and income for the station. The Commission also announced that news services would no longer qualify for Category 1 licenses after the transition. Despite both of these obstacles, Quebecor was still determined to obtain a Category 1 license for a 24-hour right-wing news network by trading in the license for Sun TV, they're fledging English language local broadcast station in Ontario. Doing this would have subverted existing regulatory procedure, and created a reason for other networks to trade-in their local broadcast licenses and retool them into more lucrative, if not exploitative, ventures.

Nevertheless, the CRTC has stated that Quebecor is still free to convert the station's format under the existing license, and invites them to reapply as a Category 2 service, meaning that cable and satellite providers will not be required to carry the station. Of course, with the amount of publicity that this unprecedented demand has created for what would otherwise be an unprofitable over-the-air broadcaster, it is likely that Sun TV News will see adequate exposure when it launches next January.