More Choice for Canadian TV Viewers

Rogers Submits Comments to CRTC, Supports Giving Consumers More Choice and Flexibility

TORONTO, June 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Rogers Communications today submitted its comments to the CRTC's Let's Talk TV consultation.  Canadians want more choice and flexibility and that's why Rogers is advocating for more flexible packaging and channel selection options for consumers.

"Our customers want more TV choice, and we want to deliver it," said Ken Engelhart, senior vice-president, Regulatory, Rogers Communications. "Our comments build on the CRTC's proposed changes and provide a way forward to give consumers more choice, while protecting Canadian jobs in the cultural sector and ensuring the availability of programming that reflects our diverse society."

Rogers shares the CRTC's goal of more choice. TV providers should offer their customers new flexible packaging options that are based on what their customers actually want to watch. This will give customers more control over their TV experience, while continuing to have access to a wide range of specialty and pay TV channels. It will also contribute to the health of the production sector and enable the creation of compelling shows Canadians love to watch.

"Delivering more choice for customers depends on the CRTC banning unreasonable contracts that prevent TV providers from offering channels on a pick and pay basis," added Engelhart. "The CRTC is taking a look at this barrier to choice and we're confident they'll do the right thing for consumers."

Rogers has been working hard to give customers more TV choice:

• In 2011, Rogers rolled out a flexible packaging trial in London, Ontario to over 1000 customers. The findings reveal that Canadians prefer channel bundles but also want the option to build their own packages.
• A recent CRTC report says Rogers has developed the most flexible options for consumers among all of the cable and satellite providers they looked at in North America.
• Rogers customers can select services through a pick-pack model, creating their own packages from a pre-set group of over 80 specialty channels. Customers can also choose the specific services they want to receive on an a la carte basis from a group of over 200 channels.
  

These steps help improve customer choice and flexibility but there's more work to do. We look forward to participating in the CRTC's hearing this fall and to the decision on the future of TV expected in early 2015.

About Rogers Communications:
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high speed internet and telephony services. Through Rogers Media we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange RCI and on the New York Stock Exchange RCI. For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit rogers.com.

SOURCE Rogers Communications Inc.