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Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-94
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Ottawa, 28 July 2006 |
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Call for comments on the proposed addition of Indus Music to the
lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis
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1. |
The Commission has received a requested
dated 9 June 2006 from Rogers Cable Communications Inc. (Rogers) for the
addition of Indus Music, a non-Canadian third-language service, to the
lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis
(the digital lists). Rogers described the service as follows: |
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Indus Music is a 24-hour niche music service based in Pakistan.
The service broadcasts in the Urdu language and offers programming
from the following categories: lifestyle/human interest/recreation
and leisure and music. Approximately 90% of the service’s
programming schedule consists of programming that is within the
music genre.
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2. |
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),
the Commission set out its revised approach to the assessment of requests
to add non-Canadian third-language television services to the digital
lists. The Commission also specified the information that Canadian
sponsors must file in support of their requests. |
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3. |
In Public Notice 2004-96,
the Commission stated that, going forward, requests to add non-Canadian,
third-language, general interest services to the digital lists would
generally be approved, subject, as appropriate, to new distribution
and linkage requirements.1
In the case of non-Canadian third-language services that provide narrowly
targeted or "niche" programming, the Commission stated that
it would continue to apply a case-by-case assessment to determine
whether the service is partially or totally competitive with Canadian
services. |
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4. |
The Commission also stated in Public Notice
2004-96 that, in applying the
competitiveness test to these non-Canadian services, it would not
take into consideration any unlaunched ethnic Category 2 service,
unless the prospective operator of such a service presented compelling
evidence that the launch of its service was imminent. Such evidence
could include distribution agreements or ongoing negotiations, programming
contracts or negotiations with non-Canadian program suppliers, and
licence fees paid to Canadian content suppliers. |
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5. |
Finally, the Commission stated that, in
assessing niche services, there may be cases where, rather than denying
authorization, it might be prepared to consider adopting distribution
requirements similar to those adopted for general interest
third-language services. |
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Call for comments
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6. |
The Commission calls for comments on
Rogers’ request for the addition of Indus Music to the digital lists.
Parties submitting comments on the request should also submit a true
copy of their comments to the Canadian sponsor, Rogers, at the following
address: |
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Rogers Cable Communications Inc.
333 Bloor Street East, 9th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 1G9
e-mail: cable.regulatory@rci.rogers.com
Facsimile: 416-935-4875
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7. |
Proof that comments have been sent to
Rogers must accompany the original version of the comments sent to the
Commission. |
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8. |
Comments on Rogers’ request must be
received by the Commission no later than 28 August 2006. A copy
of the comments must be received by Rogers no later than the deadline
for receipt of comments by the Commission. |
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9. |
Rogers may file a written reply to any
comments received concerning its request. This reply should be filed
with the Commission, and a copy sent to the person who submitted the
comments, by no later than 13 September 2006. |
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10. |
The Commission will not formally
acknowledge comments. It will, however, fully consider all comments and
they will form part of the public record of the proceeding, provided
that the procedures for filing set out below have been followed. |
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Procedures for filing comments
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Interested parties can file
their comments to the Secretary General of the Commission: |
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by using the
Broadcasting Intervention/Comments Form
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OR
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by mail to
CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
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OR
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by fax at
819-994-0218
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12. |
Submissions longer than five
pages should include a summary. |
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13. |
Please number each paragraph of
your submission. In addition, please enter the line ***End of
document*** following the last paragraph. This will help the Commission
verify that the document has not been damaged during transmission. |
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Important notice
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14. |
Note that all information that
you provide as part of this public process, except information granted
confidentiality, whether sent by postal mail, facsimile, e-mail or
through the Commission’s web site at www.crtc.gc.ca, becomes part of a
publicly accessible file and will be posted on the Commission’s web
site. This information includes your personal information, such as your
full name, e-mail address, postal/street address, telephone and
facsimile number(s), and any other personal information you provide.
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15. |
Documents received
electronically or otherwise will be put on the Commission’s web site in
their entirety exactly as you send them, including any personal
information contained therein, in the official language and format in
which they are received. Documents not received electronically will be
available in PDF format. |
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16. |
The personal information you
provide will be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the
information was obtained or compiled by the Commission, or for a use
consistent with that purpose. |
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17. |
The Commission encourages
interested parties to monitor the public examination file and the
Commission’s web site for additional information that they may find
useful when preparing their comments. |
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Examination of public comments and related documents at the
following Commission offices during normal business hours
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Toll-free telephone:
1-877-249-2782
Toll-free TDD: 1-877-909-2782 |
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Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room 206
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0N2
Tel: 819-997-2429
Fax: 819-994-0218 |
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Metropolitan Place
99 Wyse Road
Suite 1410
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3A 4S5
Tel: 902-426-7997
Fax: 902-426-2721 |
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205 Viger Avenue West
Suite 504
Montréal, Quebec H2Z 1G2
Tel: 514-283-6607 |
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55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M2
Tel: 416-952-9096 |
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Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel: 204-983-6306
TDD: 204-983-8274
Fax: 204-983-6317 |
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Cornwall Professional Building
2125 - 11th Avenue
Room 103
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3X3
Tel: 306-780-3422 |
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10405 Jasper Avenue
Suite 520
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Tel: 780-495-3224 |
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530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel: 604-666-2111
TDD: 604-666-0778
Fax: 604-666-8322 |
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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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Footnote:
The current requirements are set
out in Distribution and linkage requirements for Class 1 and Class
2 licensees, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-119,
14 December 2005, and Linkage requirements for direct-to-home (DTH)
satellite distribution undertakings, Broadcasting Public Notice
CRTC 2005-120, 14 December 2005. |
