Videotron parent company tries to push iPhones off its TV network in Quebec

What happens when a giant media company owns both a wireless carrier and a television network? Shenanigans — or at least that’s what now seems to be going on in la belle province of Quebec, where the parent company of cable and wireless provider Videotron and television network TVA has seemingly decided to throw its weight around a bit. Apparently, some folks from Quebecor Inc. recently realized that a number of television shows produced for TVA featured iPhones somewhat prominently, which just so happens to be a phone that isn’t offered by its Videotron subsidiary. Their solution? Ask the shows’ producers to feature phones that are available on Videotron instead, like the Nexus One — provided free of charge, of course. There doesn’t seem to be an outright iPhone ban, however, and at least one show has apparently been given specific permission to let its characters continue using their iPhones — although another show’s producer says he “wouldn’t be surprised” if such a ban was eventually put in place. Videotron parent company tries to push iPhones off its TV network in Quebec originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink

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