Canadian Skinny TV Experiment Kicks Off

The Canadian government’s mandate to force pay TV providers to offer a sub-$25 (Canadian) monthly skinny bundle to consumers was expected to lay the groundwork for a full a la carte offering. But on day one, the slimmed-down TV packages have drawn a skeptical reaction in media reports. 

Last year the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that cable and satellite TV providers had to offer a slimmed-down package of programming priced at a maximum of C$25 (about $18.75 U.S.) per month. The providers also had to offer some channels a la carte and through smaller bundles at various price points.

The deadline for offering these packages was March 1. By December, providers have to offer a full a la carte offering.

Go to Multichannel.com for the full story.