Fox News Moves North
http://www.CTV.ca News Staff
The sometimes controversial Fox News network will be allowed on Canadian digital television next year, the CRTC has ruled.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved the right-wing, all-news channel for digital services on Thursday.
It's unclear what conditions, if any, might be applied.
Fox News has been called "the unofficial official voice of the Bush administration" and is the home network to Bill O'Reilly, host of "The O'Reilly Factor," one of the highest-rated cable news programs.
The Canadian Cable Telecommunications Association applied to the CRTC in April for permission to carry Fox News to Canadians with digital cable, satellite or wireless television service.
The CCTA said Thursday they were pleased with the decision, saying Fox "provides Canadians with a different perspective on world events," and "is an excellent complement to the current Canadian digital line-up."
The NFL Network also got the OK Thursday. The network carries live sports, game previews, news conferences and other shows about the National Football League.
The CRTC recently approved a similar application from al-Jazeera, the Arab network often referred to as the "CNN of the Arab world."
While the Canadian Jewish Congress was not pleased with the decision, the CRTC decided that al-Jazeera had met the test of being a credible news service, with the regulator saying they had a legal duty not to unduly infringe freedom of expression.
Nevertheless, the CRTC said distributors of Al-Jazeera in Canada would be required to guard against the broadcast of "any abusive comment." That could mean the editing or deleting of some content before it airs.
If the CRTC ever decides that Al-Jazeera violated its rules, the regulator could impose consequences ranging from a reprimand to revoking permission to air the service.
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