|
Decision CRTC 2001-38
|
|
Ottawa, 2 February 2001 |
|
The Ontario Educational Communications
Authority (TVOntario)
Province of Ontario 2000-0668-6,
2000-0667-8, 1999-0447-0 |
|
18 September 2000 Public Hearing
National Capital Region |
|
Licence renewals for TVO and TFO and for the coverage of the Ontario
Legislative Assembly
|
|
The Commission renews, from 1 March
2001 to 31 August 2007, the broadcasting licences for: |
|
- the English-language educational television service, TVO (CICA-TV
Toronto and its transmitters);
|
|
- the French-language educational television service, TFO (CHLF-TV
Toronto and its transmitters); and
|
|
- the television service broadcasting the proceedings of the Ontario
Legislative Assembly.
|
|
TVOntario's educational television services
|
1. |
The licensee's mission is to offer the people of
Ontario educational television services in English and in French that foster
life-long learning. Its programs are designed to serve a dual purpose: to
entertain and informally enlighten home viewers and to serve the needs of
educational institutions. In developing and offering its programs, the
licensee works with partners from the public, private and not-for-profit
sectors, including educational broadcasters in other provinces. |
2. |
The Commission commends the licensee on the high
quality of the programming offered by TVO and TFO during the current licence
term, notably the calibre of their documentaries and children's programming. |
3. |
In the upcoming years, the licensee intends to
continue to build on its traditional strengths and to emphasize continuing
learning throughout its schedules. |
4. |
Educational television services such as TVO and
TFO provide programming distinctly different from that which is generally
available to the public. The Commission fully supports the unique and
valuable role they play in the Canadian broadcasting system. |
|
Reflection of Ontario
|
5. |
By means of its six regional consultative
committees, the licensee maintains ties with diverse communities all over
Ontario. The Francophone consultative committee works closely with TFO. The
Aboriginal consultative committee seeks to identify new programming
possibilities and partners and to strengthen relations among Aboriginal
communities throughout the province. |
6. |
The licensee plans to continue its current
measures aimed at responding fully to the needs of cultural and racial
minorities. In its children's programs, it takes an integrated approach to
diversity. It also produces many series in co-operation with organizations
such as the Ontario Women's Directorate and the Canadian Race Relations
Foundation. |
7. |
During the current licence term, the licensee
refined its policies and programs for Aboriginal peoples and other cultural
and racial minorities through development of the following standards:
Principles and guidelines for implementing TVOntario's Aboriginal relations
policy and Societal diversity in TVOntario programming: guidelines and
recommendations. |
|
Programming commitments
|
|
TVO
|
8. |
In Decision CRTC
92-66, which last renewed TVO's licence, the Commission noted the
licensee's commitment to broadcast 70% Canadian content in each year of the
licence term. As part of its licence renewal application, the licensee
proposed to lower the level of Canadian programming it offers over the
broadcast day to 65%. The Commission approves this request. A
condition of licence in this regard is set out in Appendix I to this
decision. |
9. |
The licensee argued that the proposed level of
Canadian content will give it greater flexibility in its programming budget
that will allow it to improve the quality of TVO's service and to compete in
an increasingly competitive marketplace. Consequently, the licensee will be
able to invest more in Canadian productions. At the same time, it will not
need to increase the number of repeat broadcasts of programming. |
10. |
The Commission notes that a minimum level of 65%
Canadian content is higher than that required of any other English-language
educational broadcaster in Canada. For example, Access Alberta, Canadian
Learning Television, Knowledge Network and the Saskatchewan Communications
Network Corporation (SCN) each must broadcast 60% Canadian content overall. |
11. |
In approving the licensee's request, the
Commission has also taken into consideration the licensee's efforts to
maintain high programming standards over the current licence term. The
Commission agrees with the licensee that, in the face of diminishing
resources and increased competition, it should focus on offering quality
Canadian programming. |
|
TFO
|
12. |
TFO reiterated its commitment to broadcast at
least 60% Canadian content over the broadcast day and at least 50% from 6
p.m. to midnight. This commitment is among TFO’s conditions of licence set
out in Appendix II. |
13. |
The excellent non-commercial programs broadcast
by TFO during peak hours is an invaluable educational resource for the
Francophone community of Ontario. TFO made a commitment to broadcast at least
10 hours 30 minutes of priority programming, as defined in Public Notice CRTC
1999-205, during peak viewing
hours. |
14. |
TFO has an extensive inventory of
French-language educational programs for children. These programs make up
over half of its schedule. They were developed to address priorities set by
its educational partners. TFO committed to broadcast at least 29 hours a week
of Canadian programming for children (ages 2 to 12) and at least 10 hours a
week of programming for youth (ages 12 to 17). |
15. |
The Commission notes the commitment made by TFO
to support and encourage Canadian artists and to exceed the Commission's
requirements for Canadian content. |
|
Advertising
|
16. |
In view of budgetary restrictions, the licensee
determined that it needed to seek financial assistance from the private
sector. In February 1999, it adopted new administrative guidelines that
allowed more flexibility regarding mentioning sponsor names and products at
the beginning and end of programs. The licensee, nevertheless, made a
commitment to adhere to its Guidelines for underwriting and project
financing set out in Decision CRTC 81-727. The licensee will not
broadcast advertising messages, other than those promoting its own programs
and activities. |
|
Support for independent production
|
17. |
The Commission notes the licensee’s support for
independent production. The licensee helps finance production in Canada
through fees, commissions and co-ventures, and deals with local businesses
for in-house productions. |
|
Closed captioning
|
18. |
In Decision CRTC
92-661, the Commission noted the licensee's commitment to expand
captioning of its programming, as funds permitted, to increase service to the
deaf and hearing-impaired communities. Currently, only 15% of TVO's overall
schedule and 10% of TFO's programs are closed captioned. |
19. |
The Commission's policy on closed captioning set
out in Public Notice CRTC 1995-48
generally requires licensees of larger television stations to close caption
at least 90% of all programming during the broadcast day. While the licensee
wishes to improve its performance in this area, it stated that it could not
make the substantial financial investment needed to meet the Commission's
objectives without affecting the programming budgets of both TVO and TFO. |
20. |
The Commission notes that, during the day, TVO
and TFO offer programs primarily aimed at continuing learning and targeted to
specific audiences. While this programming could benefit from closed
captioning in the long term, the Commission considers that the licensee
should concentrate its efforts on programs which appeal to a larger audience
and which are offered during the peak viewing hours. |
21. |
In the case of TVO, the Commission expects
the licensee to close caption 90% of the programming broadcast on TVO
during the peak viewing period (7 p.m. to 11 p.m.) by 31 August 2003, and 90%
of all programming by the end of the licence term. |
22. |
With respect to TFO, the Commission notes the
current shortcomings in technologies used to close caption French-language
programming and the need for significant investment of resources in this
area. In view of the particular circumstances, the Commission expects
the licensee to close caption at least 75% of programming broadcast during
the peak viewing hours by the end of TFO's new licence term. The Commission
also encourages the licensee to close caption at least 75% of its
programming offered over the broadcast day by the end of the licence term. |
|
Other matters
|
23. |
The licences will be subject to the conditions
specified in the appendices to this decision and to any other condition
specified in the licences to be issued. |
24. |
The Commission acknowledges the interventions
submitted regarding these applications and the licensee's response to
comments presented by interveners. |
|
Related CRTC documents
|
|
|
|
- Public Notice 1999-97 – A policy
framework for Canadian television
|
|
- Public Notice 1995-48 –
Introduction to decisions renewing the licences of privately-owned
English-language television stations
|
|
Secretary General |
|
This decision is to be appended to each
licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be
examined at the following Internet site:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca |