| |
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-39
|
| |
Ottawa, 30 March 2006
|
| |
Call for comments on the proposed addition of Phoenix InfoNews
Channel to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on
a digital basis
|
|
1. |
The Commission received a request dated 23
February 2006 from Rogers Cable Communications Inc. (Rogers) for the
addition of Phoenix InfoNews Channel, a non-Canadian third-language
service, to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on
a digital basis (the digital lists). Rogers described the service as
follows: |
| |
Phoenix InfoNews Channel is a 24-hour niche news service based in
Hong Kong providing a comprehensive menu of news and information on
world events, current affairs, and financial developments in
Mandarin. It offers programming from the following categories: news,
analysis and interpretation, long-form documentary, reporting and
actualities, information education, sports, recreation and leisure.
Approximately 85% of the service’s programming schedule consists of
programming that is within the news, analysis and interpretation
genres.
|
|
2. |
In Improving the diversity of third-language
television services – A revised approach to assessing requests to
add non-Canadian third-language television services to the lists of
eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis,
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-96,
16 December 2004 (Public Notice 2004-96),
the Commission set out its revised approach to the assessment of requests
to add non-Canadian third-language television services to the digital
lists, as well as specific information that Canadian sponsors must
file in support of their requests. |
|
3. |
In Public Notice 2004-96,
the Commission stated that, going forward, requests to add non-Canadian,
third-language, general interest services to the digital lists would
generally be approved, subject, as appropriate, to new distribution
and linkage requirements1. For non-Canadian
third-language services that provide narrowly targeted or "niche"
programming, the Commission stated that it would continue to apply
a case-by-case assessment to determine whether the service is partially
or totally competitive with Canadian services. |
|
4. |
The Commission also stated in Public Notice
2004-96 that,
in applying the competitiveness test to these non-Canadian services,
it would not take into consideration unlaunched ethnic Category 2
services, unless the Category 2 service presents compelling evidence
that launch of the service is imminent. Such evidence could include
distribution agreements or ongoing negotiations, programming contracts
or negotiations with non-Canadian program suppliers, and licence fees
paid to Canadian content suppliers. |
|
5. |
Finally, the Commission stated that, in
assessing niche services, there may be cases where, rather than denying
authorization, it might be prepared to consider adopting distribution
requirements similar to those adopted for general interest
third-language services. |
| |
Call for comments
|
|
6. |
The Commission calls for comments on
Rogers’ request for the addition of Phoenix InfoNews Channel to the
digital lists. Parties submitting comments on the request should also
submit a true copy of their comments to the Canadian sponsor, Rogers, at
the following address: |
| |
Rogers Cable Communications Inc.
333 Bloor Street East, 9th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4W 1G9
e-mail:
cable.regulatory@rci.rogers.com
Facsimile: (416) 935-4875
|
|
7. |
Proof that comments have been sent to
Rogers must accompany the original version of the comments sent to the
Commission. |
|
8. |
Comments on Rogers’ request must be
received by the Commission no later than 1 May 2006. A copy of
the comments must be received by Rogers no later than the deadline for
receipt of comments by the Commission. |
|
9. |
Rogers may file a written reply to any
comments received concerning its request. This reply should be filed
with the Commission, and a copy sent to the person who submitted the
comments, by no later than 15 May 2006. |
|
10. |
The Commission will not formally
acknowledge comments. It will, however, fully consider all comments and
they will form part of the public record of the proceeding, provided
that the procedures for filing set out below have been followed. |
| |
Procedures for filing comments
|
|
11. |
Interested parties can file their comments
to the Secretary General of the Commission: |
| |
- by using the
Broadcasting Intervention/Comments Form
|
| |
OR
|
| |
- CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
|
| |
OR
|
| |
|
|
12. |
Submissions longer than five pages should
include a summary. |
|
13. |
Please number each paragraph of your
submission. In addition, please enter the line ***End of document***
following the last paragraph. This will help the Commission verify that
the document has not been damaged during transmission. |
| |
Important notice |
|
14. |
Note that all information that you provide
as part of this public process, except information granted
confidentiality, whether sent by postal mail, facsimile, e-mail or
through the Commission’s web site at
www.crtc.gc.ca, becomes part of a publicly accessible file and will
be posted on the Commission’s web site. This information includes your
personal information, such as your full name, e-mail address,
postal/street address, telephone and facsimile number(s), and any other
personal information you provide. |
|
15. |
Documents received electronically or
otherwise will be put on the Commission’s web site in their entirety
exactly as you send them, including any personal information contained
therein, in the official language and format in which they are received.
Documents not received electronically will be available in PDF format.
|
|
16. |
The personal information you provide will
be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the information
was obtained or compiled by the Commission, or for a use consistent with
that purpose. |
|
17. |
The Commission encourages interested
parties to monitor the public examination file and the Commission’s web
site for additional information that they may find useful when preparing
their comments. |
| |
Examination of public comments and related documents at the
following Commission offices during normal business hours
|
| |
Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room 206
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0N2
Tel: (819) 997-2429 - TDD: 994-0423
Fax: (819) 994-0218 |
| |
Metropolitan Place
99 Wyse Road
Suite 1410
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3A 4S5
Tel: (902) 426-7997 - TDD: 426-6997
Fax: (902) 426-2721 |
| |
205 Viger Avenue West
Suite 504
Montréal, Quebec H2Z 1G2
Tel: (514) 283-6607 |
| |
55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M2
Tel: (416) 952-9096 |
| |
Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel: (204) 983-6306 - TDD: 983-8274
Fax: (204) 983-6317 |
| |
Cornwall Professional Building
2125 - 11th Avenue
Room 103
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3X3
Tel: (306) 780-3422 |
| |
10405 Jasper Avenue
Suite 520
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Tel: (780) 495-3224 |
| |
530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel: (604) 666-2111 - TDD: 666-0778
Fax: (604) 666-8322 |
| |
Secretary General |
| |
This document is available in alternative
format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF
format or in HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
|
| |
Footnote:
|
