The ITC today announced that it would be extending its review of the practice of bundling pay-TV channels.
As part of this the issues of carriage guarantees, basic channel bundling, digital TV and its effect on the market and viewers will also be considered.
Key points on which the ITC is requesting comments are:
What constitutes a premium channel? Are the competition issues the same as for a basic channel?
Do different considerations apply depending on whether movie or sports channels are being bundled?
Do current arrangements for basic channels result in a wide choice for viewers?
At the request of the European Commission the ITC will also be investigating whether the wholesale price discount structure for BSkyB’s premium channels could prevent the entry of other providers into the market. This was prompted after a complaint from the Cable Communications Association.
