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Public Notice CRTC 2000-94
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Ottawa, 6 July 2000
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Implementation of TV policy
New conditions of licence |
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As part of the process initiated to give
effect to its new TV policy, the Commission, in Public Notice CRTC 1999-206, called for comments on conditions of licence
that would replace current Canadian programming requirements for television stations
controlled by the largest multi-station ownership groups. Todays notice summarizes
and completes this process. The Commission is issuing decisions adding new conditions to
the licences of individual stations. The decisions are attached to this public notice. |
1.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1999-206, the Commission set out the process
required to implement, by 1 September 2000, certain changes flowing from the new TV
policy (Building on success A policy framework for Canadian television,
Public Notice CRTC 1999-97). It was proposed that the
changes would affect only those stations that were part of Canadas largest
multi-station ownership groups: CTV Network Ltd. (CTV), Global Communications Limited
(Global), WIC Western International Communications Ltd. (WIC) and TVA Group Inc. (TVA). |
2.
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In a three-stage process, the Commission
invited interested parties to comment on the effectiveness of the wording proposed to
implement the new requirement that the television stations owned by the largest
multi-station groups broadcast, at a minimum, an average of 8 hours per week of programs
from the priority categories during the peak viewing period of 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The
Commission included wording for the new dramatic programming credit for the stations in
these groups that was introduced in the new TV policy. It set out proposed conditions of
licence and identified the television stations whose licences would be amended as part of
the process. The Commission also noted that, in accordance with section 9(1)(c) of the Broadcasting
Act it may amend conditions of licence upon application by a licensee or, when five
years have expired since the issuance or renewal of a licence, on its own motion. It
invited licensees to submit applications to amend those licences that the Commission could
not amend on its own motion.
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3.
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In stage one, Global, TVA, and CTV submitted
interventions. They suggested no change to the wording proposed for the new conditions of
licence. |
4.
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CTV, Global and TVA all identified the
individual licences for which they sought amendments and those that the Commission could
amend on its own motion.
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5.
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CTV applied to amend most of its individual
station licences. It identified CFTO-TV Toronto and all of its Northern Ontario stations
for amendment on the Commissions own motion.
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6.
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TVA applied to amend all of its individual
station licences as well as its network licence. Global requested amendments to all of its
individual station licences.
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7.
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In stage two, the Commission received
interventions from the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, the BC
Ministry of Small Business, Tourism and Culture, British Columbia Film, and Concerned
Childrens Advertisers. None of these interveners suggested changes to the wording of
the proposed conditions of licence. |
8.
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In stage three, CTV submitted a letter dated
2 May 2000, describing a new affiliation agreement with the licensee of CHAN-TV
Vancouver and CHEK-TV Victoria. Under the new agreement, to be in effect until
1 September 2001, CHAN-TV and CHEK-TV would receive from CTV an average of
4 hours per week of priority television programming. |
9.
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In its letter, CTV requested that the
condition of licence setting out the exhibition requirement for its station CIVT-TV
Vancouver be amended to require four hours per week of Canadian priority programs for
a one-year period, rather than the eight hours that would be required under the new TV
policy. CTV argued that, because it will be supplying four hours of priority programming
to CHAN-TV and CHEK-TV (under the terms of the agreement outlined above), it will in
effect be delivering to the Vancouver market a total of eight hours of Canadian priority
programming per week, including the 4 hours broadcast by CIVT-TV. As for CHAN-TV and
CHEK-TV, the remaining four hours would be provided by the stations licensee,
resulting in a total of eight hours per week of priority programming for these stations.
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10.
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CTV also requested that conditions of licence
1 to 8 inclusive of its network licence setting out the expenditure requirements for
Canadian programming, childrensprogramming and Canadian specials be deleted,
effective 1 September 2000. CTV noted that it will be fulfilling its obligations for
the exhibition of priority programming through the requirements imposed on its individual
stations by the new conditions of licence.
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11.
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The Commission considers that CTVs
requests are consistent with the new TV policy. Decisions deleting the CTV network
conditions of licence and imposing a four-hour exhibition requirement on CIVT-TV for a
one-year period are included in the decisions appended to this public notice.
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12.
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WIC did not file comments in response to
PN 1999-206. However, in Decision CRTC
2000-221 released today the Commission has approved applications whereby control of the
WIC television stations passes to Global. These stations are CHAN-TV Vancouver, CHEK-TV
Victoria, CICT-TV Calgary, CITV-TV Edmonton, CISA-TV Lethbrige, CKRD-TV Red Deer, CHKM-TV
Kamloops, CHKL-TV and CHBC-TV Kelowna and CHCH-TV Hamilton. Decisions amending the
licences for these stations are included in the decisions issued with to this public
notice (Decisions CRTC 2000-223 to 2000-228).
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13.
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Issued with this public notice are decisions
setting out new conditions of licence for each television station controlled by the
largest multi-station ownership groups (Decisions CRTC 2000-229 to 2000-250).
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Secretary General
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This document is available in alternate format upon request and may also be examined at
the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca.
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