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Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-140
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Ottawa, 2 November 2006
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Addition of LBC America and Future Television Channel to the lists
of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis
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The Commission approves a request
to add LBC America and Future Television Channel to the lists of eligible
satellite services for distribution on a digital basis and amends
the lists of eligible
satellite services accordingly. The revised lists are available
on the Commission’s web site at www.crtc.gc.ca
under "Industries at a Glance". |
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Introduction
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1. |
The Commission received a request dated 17
May 2006 from Videotron Ltd. (Videotron) for the addition of two
non-Canadian third-language services to the lists of eligible satellite
services for distribution on a digital basis (the digital lists).
Videotron described these services as follows: |
2. |
LBC America and Future Television Channel are
24-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week general interest services offering a wide
range of programming in Arabic (over 90%), including feature films as
well as drama, sports, news and commentary, cooking, general interest,
entertainment, music and dance, and religious programs. None of the
programs are subtitled.
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3. |
The Commission subsequently issued Call
for comments on the proposed addition of LBC America and Future Television
Channel to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution
on a digital basis, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-91,
21 July 2006. |
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Positions of parties
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4. |
The Commission received over 250 comments
in support of the addition of these services to the digital lists. The
Commission also received comments from The Council of Lebanese Canadian
Organizations (the CLCO), who opposed the addition of only LBC America
and Future Television Channel to the lists. The CLCO submitted that
neither of these channels is independent, but rather that both are run
by Lebanese political parties, whose political points of view they
represent. The CLCO expressed concerned that the Commission’s approval
of two Lebanese channels at once could make it more difficult for the
Commission to approve other channels, and that this would endanger the
balance of the media as presented to the Canadian-Lebanese community,
especially given that a proposed new Lebanese electoral law would allow
Lebanese abroad to participate in Lebanon’s electoral process. Vidéotron
did not file a reply to interventions. |
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The Commission’s analysis and determinations
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5. |
The Commission’s approach to the addition
of non-Canadian, third-language television services to the digital
lists is set out in Improving the diversity of third-language television
services – A revised approach to assessing requests to add non-Canadian
third-language television services to the lists of eligible satellite
services for distribution on a digital basis, Broadcasting Public
Notice CRTC 2004-96, 16 December
2004 (Public Notice 2004-96).
In Public Notice 2004-96, the
Commission stated that, going forward, requests to add non-Canadian
general interest third-language services to the digital lists would
generally be approved, subject, as appropriate, to new distribution
and linkage rules described in the public notice. |
6. |
The Commission has examined the material
filed in support of the request to add LBC America and Future
Television Channel to the digital lists, and is satisfied that the
services are general interest services in the Arabic language, as
described by their sponsor. Thus, the services are appropriately subject
to the approach for such services set out in Public Notice 2004-96. |
7. |
With respect to the concerns expressed by
the CLCO, the Commission notes that there is nothing in the approach
set out in Public Notice 2004-96
that would preclude the addition of further Lebanese services in the
Arabic language. Rather, requests for the addition of such services
would be considered pursuant to the Commission’s established approach
to non-Canadian, third-language services. |
8. |
In light of the above, the Commission
approves the addition of LBC America and Future Television Channel
to the digital lists and amends the lists
of eligible satellite services accordingly. The lists of eligible
satellite services are available on the Commission’s web site at www.crtc.gc.ca
under "Industries at a Glance" and may be obtained
in hard copy on request. The Commission notes that the distribution
of these services is subject to the distribution and linkage rules
that apply to third-language general interest services added to the
digital lists after 16 December 2004, as set out in Linkage
requirements for Direct-to-home (DTH) satellite distribution undertakings,
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-134,
and Distribution and Linkage requirements for Class 1 and Class
2 licensees, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-135,
both dated 20 October 2006. |
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Secretary General |
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This document is available in alternative
format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF
format or in HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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