Speech
Opening remarks
by Keith Spicer
Chairman, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
at the DTH public hearing
Hull, Quebec
October 30, 1995
(CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY)
Good morning and welcome to the CRTC's public hearing examining applications
for Multi-point Distribution Systems, Direct-to-home Satellite Distribution,
Direct-to-home Pay-per-view, and Pay audio undertaking licenses. As you are no
doubt aware, we are here today, in part, because of the Government's
Orders-in-Council which provide directions to the CRTC concerning the licensing
of DTH Satellite Distribution Undertakings and DTH Pay-per-view Television
Programming Undertakings.
The public process which brings us here today is also a continuation of the
Commission's long-term efforts to offer consumers as many strong, high-quality
viewing choices as possible. I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome those
of you who are joining us from home via your local cable company. As these
proceedings progress, I hope this will help you better understand how we do our
job on behalf of the Canadian public.
Procedures for the hearing
At the outset, I'd like to take a moment to explain how this hearing will
unfold. In the first part of these proceedings, we will hear three applications
for MDS distribution undertakings, three applications for DTH Satellite
Distribution Undertaking licenses and six applications for DTH Pay-per-view
undertakings. Joining me on the panel for this portion of the hearings will be:
from my far right, Commissioners Peter Senchuk and Yves Dupras, and continuing
from my far left is Vice-Chairman for Telecommunications, David Colville and
Commissioner Andrée Wylie. In the second part of these proceedings, four
applications for Pay-audio programming undertakings will be heard by my
colleagues here today and this panel will be chaired by our Vice-Chairman of
broadcasting, Fernand Bélisle.
During the hearing, each applicant will have a maximum of 20 minutes to make
its presentation, followed by questions from the panel. Applicants will be
limited to 10 minutes for their rebuttals. In the case of intervenors, they will
each have a maximum of 10 minutes to make an oral presentation. One of my
colleagues or I may then ask questions for clarification purposes.
A final note about procedures - we'll sit from 8:30 a.m. to approximately 6:00
p.m. each weekday. We expect to sit on the first Saturday (November 4, starting
at 9:00 a.m.) of what is anticipated will be a 3-week hearing. We may later
announce some evening sittings to keep to our timetable.
I would also like to introduce Commission staff seated at the front table:
Hearing Secretary Tony Lacombe and legal counsel Sylvie Courtemanche and Gilles
Daigle. The Manager for this Hearing is Michael Ferras, and he is joined by
various other key staff members.
Mr. Secretary, would you kindly call our first applicant...
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Contact: CRTC Public Affairs, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
Tel.: (819) 997-0313, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 994-0218
Date Modified: 1995-10-30 |
