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Decision CRTC 2001-457-13
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Ottawa, 2 August 2001
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CTV Television Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia
2000-2268-2
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17 April 2001 Public Hearing
National Capital Region |
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Licence renewal for CIVT-TV
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1. |
The Commission renews the licence for the television
programming undertaking CIVT-TV Vancouver. The licence will be
subject to the terms, conditions of licence, commitments and
expectations set out below, as well as to those contained in
Decision CRTC 2001-457.
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2. |
This is the first licence renewal for CIVT-TV Vancouver, a
station that was licensed in Decision CRTC 97-39, after a
competitive process for a new, independent Vancouver television
station. Effective 1 September 2001, CIVT-TV will no longer operate
as an independent station, but will instead carry the programming of
CTV's national system. On the same date, due to a change of
ownership from CTV to CanWest Global, the CTV programming currently
carried on CHAN-TV Vancouver, CHEK-TV Victoria and on their
respective rebroadcasting transmitters in British Columbia will
cease on those stations.
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3. |
The change from independent programming on CIVT-TV to that of the
CTV national system is the subject of a related decision also
published today (Decision CRTC 2001-459). In that decision, the
Commission authorizes certain cable distributors in British Columbia
to distribute CIVT-TV as a distant Canadian signal, thus providing
their subscribers continued access to CTV programming once CHAN-TV
ceases to broadcast CTV programming on 1 September 2001.
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4. |
As set out in conditions of licence below, CTV must "cover
over" non-national advertising in the CIVT-TV signal
distributed to the B.C. interior, with program promotions or public
service announcements.
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Independent production |
5. |
In Decision CRTC 97-39, the Commission noted that a determining
factor in deciding to award the licence to CIVT-TV was the applicant’s
commitment to the independent production community in B.C. The
Commission stated at that time that the licensing of CIVT-TV
"will have the greatest possible positive impact on the
Canadian independent production industry, particularly in British
Columbia". Through its development and licensing activities,
the Commission notes that CTV has made a significant contribution to
the development and continued health of the independent production
industry in B.C. The Commission notes in particular the introduction
of two new, national talk shows, including the first daily,
English-language national program to originate outside of Toronto.
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6. |
At the hearing, CTV confirmed that it intended to meet a key
commitment related to spending on independently-produced Canadian
programming that had been made in the context of the original
application for CIVT-TV's licence. This commitment was to spend over
seven years (through to 2004), more than $53 million on programming
in categories 7, 8 and 9 from independent producers, including $26.5
million for programming from the B.C. community, over $28 million to
B.C. producers for children's, drama and documentary programming,
and $1.8 million over seven years on children's programming. The
Commission expects the licensee to fulfil these commitments. |
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Storefront bureaus
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7. |
In its original application for the new licence, CIVT-TV made a
commitment to establish six storefront community bureaus, including
one in Victoria. However, in its licence renewal application, the
licensee indicated that five of the bureaus were subsequently closed
due to staffing and budget constraints. The Victoria bureau remains
in operation. |
8. |
At the hearing, however, the licensee reported that it had
recently reopened two bureaus, one in North Vancouver and one in
Surrey. It further indicated that, in view of its new affiliation
with the CTV national system and the related expansion of its news
and public affairs department, it was considering the addition of
another news bureau in the Richmond, Delta or White Rock area. |
9. |
The Commission notes that the licensee's commitment to establish
six storefront bureaus was made in the context of a competitive
process for a new television station. In light of the importance of
this commitment, CIVT-TV's plans to offer the CTV programming
schedule, and its stated emphasis on news and public affairs, the
Commission expects the licensee to fulfil its original
commitment with respect to the establishment of six storefront news
bureaus. |
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The Storytellers
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10. |
As part of its original application for the new licence, the
licensee made a commitment to commission the production of The
Storytellers, a series consisting of 20 half-hour dramas by
new independent producers in British Columbia. Ten episodes of the
series have been produced but CIVT-TV indicated that it did not
intend to extend The Storytellers into the new licence term
since it is committed to airing eight hours of priority programming
per week. |
11. |
The Commission notes that the intent of this initiative, made in
the context of the licensing of CIVT-TV, was to support new
independent producers in British Columbia. The Commission does not
agree that the obligation to broadcast eight hours per week of
priority programming replaces this commitment. However, programs
provided to fulfil this obligation may also be used to meet the
requirement for priority programming. The Commission therefore expects
the licensee to produce the remaining ten half-hour episodes of The
Storytellers.
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Reports
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12. |
The Commission expects the licensee to submit a detailed
report at the end of the seven-year period for which it made the
commitments set out in Decision 97-39, that is, at the end of 2004,
setting out the details and expenditure allocations related to the
initiatives described above.
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13. |
The Commission also notes the licensee's commitment to spend
$200,000 annually through its western program development office for
script and development funds to independent producers. |
14. |
The Commission also notes the licensee’s commitment to
broadcast on CIVT-TV a minimum level of local programming of 15.5
hours in each broadcast week.
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Terms |
15. |
The licence will be in effect from 1 September 2001 to 31 August
2008.
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16. |
The Commission notes that this licensee is subject to the Employment
Equity Act and therefore files reports concerning employment
equity with Human Resources Development Canada.
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Conditions of licence
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17. |
In each broadcast year, the licensee shall caption 90% of all
programming during the broadcast day, including 100% of all category
1 - News programming. |
18. |
In addition to the requirements of condition of licence number 7
set out in Appendix 2 to Decision CRTC 2001-457, the licensee shall
broadcast in the second year of the licence term an average of 2
hours per week of described Canadian priority programs from
categories 7 (Drama) and 2b (Long-form documentary), between 7 p.m.
and 11 p.m. |
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In fulfilling this condition, a minimum of 50% of the required
hours must be original broadcasts. Further, the licensee may
broadcast up to one hour per week of described children’s
programming at an appropriate viewing time for children.
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19. |
The licensee shall alter, at its own expense, the signal of CIVT-TV
that it provides to the licensees of the cable distribution
undertakings serving Terrace, Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George and
Dawson Creek, or their successors, by covering over those
commercials that are not carried on all conventional television
undertakings owned or controlled by CTV Television Inc. with program
promotions and/or public service announcements.
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20. |
The licensee shall permit the licensees of television stations
CFJC-TV Kamloops, CKPG-TV Prince George, CJDC-TV Dawson Creek and
CFTK-TV Terrace to cover over, at their expense, the above noted
program promotions and public service announcements with commercials
sold by these four local television stations, provided that the
licensees of the cable distribution undertakings serving the four
communities concerned have received the necessary regulatory
permission to alter the CIVT-TV signal.
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Secretary General
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This decision is to be
appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon
request, and may also be examined at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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