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What everybody thinks consumers want is “pick and pay” TV, a system that would allow viewers to choose the channels they want on their network service, like consumers roaming through a supermarket. All seem to agree it is preposterous to have to buy apples, oranges and bananas when all you want is apples.

The Quebecor deregulation proposal, however, does not necessarily guarantee absolute consumer choice. Deregulated broadcast distributors would still be able to shape bundles and determine pricing methods, but they would be free of CRTC-imposed basic channel formats and mandatory carriage rules.

“The Commission cannot regulate the Internet. Therefore, its only remaining option is to deregulate broadcasting to allow Canadian players to compete with Netflix and the other [Internet] services on a level playing field.”

Neither the other major telecom giants nor the CRTC seem prepared to adopt the Quebecor model. All have called for continuation of basic-service channel regulation — a selection of local and Canadian with perhaps some basic U.S. channels — but greater consumer choice for all other channels.

The premise of the “Let’s Talk TV” hearings is the seemingly rapid advance of Netflix, Apple TV and other program services that bypass the Canadian broadcast system. So far, though, the Netflix story is mostly story and not much real action.

Netflix’s market penetration is now 50-million subscribers around the world. Operating outside the broadcast field, Netflix and other similar firms have great potential to continue to steal viewers from regulator television. Netflix itself likes to promote the blow-the-world away power of Internet content, creating what may well be exaggerated fears.