CTV Newsnet wants to do more

Our company is trying to beef up our all-news cable channel, CTV Newsnet,but we'll need regulatory approval to do that. You'll get a chance soon to tell the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission what you think about the ideas outlined in this press release:

CTV News today filed an application with the CRTC that would enable it to overhaul CTV Newsnet to provide more original Canadian news programming and compete with the large number of foreign news networks that have entered the Canadian market in recent years. CTV Newsnet would still provide headline news service under the proposed plan.
“Since CTV Newsnet first went on the air seven years ago, there's been an explosion of news network choices for Canadians. Today there are nine English-language news networks, including American services CNN, CNN Headline News and CNBC, and the number is still growing, with Fox News being the latest to seek to enter the Canadian market,” said Robert Hurst, President, CTV News. “We believe more than ever that Canadians need and want strong Canadian news sources. That's why we want to enhance news programming for CTV Newsnet.
There is a strong, proven market for effective, clearly Canadian coverage of the day's headlines, with panel discussions, call-ins and live event broadcasts. That's what we want to do at CTV Newsnet.”
The broadcaster is seeking a change in its license conditions that requires it to maintain a 15-minute wheel format, subject to very limited exceptions. CTV Newsnet is the only English-language news service which operates under such a restriction; CNN and other American news network operating in Canada have no restrictions placed upon their coverage of the news.
“We are committed to maintaining a headline service,” said Hurst. “But we believe the current requirement is inflexible in the extreme — and in effect puts shackles on our ability to cover the headlines of the day and to give Canadians the kind of news programming they want. Moreover, in practice, it just doesn't make sense to shift from a breaking story to covering sports and entertainment headlines. What we're proposing is a sensible, flexible headline service that would permit us to make the basic newsroom, editorial decisions about what to put on the air and why — a right that every other English- language news service enjoys.
“What we are asking for is the right to compete fairly with other news networks,” said Hurst. “The right to make newsroom decisions based on news merit, not on stopwatch timings or other arbitrary criteria; the right, in this wired, globalized information age, to give our viewers a Canadian perspective on the news of the day.”
CTV News pointed to its successful experiment with the daily, hour-long COUNTDOWN: With Mike Duffy, election headlines show, hosted by Mike Duffy during the recent federal election. “The success of COUNTDOWN: With Mike Duffy proves that there is an audience for intelligent, fast-paced news programming,” said Hurst. “And that's the audience we want to serve.
COUNTDOWN: With Mike Duffy, with its panel discussions and audience interaction, is a template for the kind of headline programming we want to see more of on CTV Newsnet. We're not talking Antiques Road Show or Fashion File here — we're talking about hard news and current events in shows that have personality and point-of-view.”