Speech
Opening remarks
by Charles Dalfen
Chairman, Canadian Radio-television
and Telecommunications Commission
at the public hearing in Edmonton, Alberta (TV)
Edmonton, Alberta
June 16th, 2003
(CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY)
Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this public hearing.
My name is Charles Dalfen, and I am the Chairman of the CRTC. I will be
chairing this hearing, and will be joined by my colleagues, Andrée Wylie,
Vice-Chairperson, Broadcasting, Ronald Williams, Regional Commissioner for
Alberta and Northwest Territories Regions and National Commissioners, Andrew
Cardozo and Stuart Langford. Commission staff assisting us during this hearing
include: Mike Amodeo, Hearing Team Leader, Peter McCallum, Legal Counsel, and
Pierre LeBel, Hearing Secretary. Please do not hesitate to speak with any of them
if you have any questions with regard to hearing procedures.
During this hearing, we will be examining proposals by CHUM Limited for a new
television service for the Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary markets. We will also
examine applications by Global Communications Limited to amend the licences of
television stations CKRD-TV and CITY-TV-1 in Red Deer.
CHUM Limited
We will begin by hearing from CHUM Limited representatives regarding
applications by CHUM for licences to operate a new English-language television
station in Edmonton, a rebroadcasting transmitter in Red Deer, and a new
English-language television station in Calgary.
Each station would broadcast at least 20 hours per week of local programming.
CHUM has also identified an emphasis on English-language multicultural and
cross-cultural programming.
Global Communications Limited
Then we will be hearing from representatives of Global Communications Limited
with respect to an application to amend the licence of television station CKRD-TV
Red Deer by disaffiliating from the CBC network, adding transmitters in Edmonton
and Calgary, and deleting the service of the transmitter in Coronation.
In this application, Global proposes programming to reflect the Alberta
aboriginal peoples and ethnic programming to serve the entire coverage area. The
balance of the schedule would be comprised of local programming and Canadian and
foreign programming similar to that offered on CHCH-TV Hamilton and CHEK-TV
Victoria.
In addition, we will hear from Global representatives regarding television
station CITV-TV-1 Red Deer. This application, as well as Global’s application
regarding the CKRD licence amendments, has been filed in conjunction with an
application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The approval of these
applications would, among other things, permit the CBC to extend its full English
television network service to residents in the Coronation and Red Deer areas. The
CBC application is on the agenda of this hearing as a non-appearing item.
Process
This hearing should take today and tomorrow to complete. We will adjourn this
evening around 6 and begin again tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. and sit until this
hearing is concluded. My colleague Andrée Wylie will chair a panel to review
radio applications on Wednesday, June 18th at 9 am.
Finally, please keep your cell phones and beepers turned off while you are in
the hearing room. The sound from such equipment tends to be an unwanted
distraction for both participants and panel members. We are counting on your
cooperation in this regard throughout the hearing.
I now invite the Secretary, Mr. Pierre LeBel, to explain the hearing
procedures to you. Mr. LeBel...
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Contact: Denis Carmel,
Tel.: (819)
997-9403, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 997-4245
e-Mail: denis.carmel@crtc.gc.ca
Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)
TDD -
Toll-free # 1-877-909-2782
This document is available in alternative format upon request.
Date Modified: 2003-06-16 |
