Canadian regulator moves to help broadcasters

Canada's broadcast regulator signaled support on Monday for having the country's cable and satellite providers pay local broadcasters for programming they now get for free. The federal regulator said cable and satellite firms will temporarily pay more into a fund to promote local production and said broadcasters can use the money for news and other programming in smaller markets. Two cable and satellite firms blasted the decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, calling it a "stunning reversal" of earlier decisions and saying it would raise consumer bills.