Gay cable channel wins battle in Canada

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission has ruled that two Canadian cable companies must include a gay-themed specialty channel as part of a promotional preview package, according to The Hollywood Reporter. PrideVision TV complained to the CRTC last month when Shaw and Star Choice excluded the channel from a preview of new digital specialty networks. In its complaint, PrideVision TV said Shaw broke broadcasting laws by advertising the channel as a pay-per-view option to its customers in several provinces and that both Shaw and Star Choice excluded PrideVision TV from a free package of specialty channels. The CRTC ruled that since viewers had to take extra steps to get PrideVision TV if they wanted it, the action of the two cable companies constituted "a strong disincentive for subscribers to view the service during the preview period, which will be reflected in PrideVision's subscriber levels after the preview is over."