News release
February 14, 2002
CRTC AWARDS NEW TELEVISION
LICENCE IN VANCOUVER
OTTAWA-GATINEAU - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission (CRTC) has awarded a licence to Multivan Broadcast Corporation (MVBC)
for a new over-the-air ethnic television service in Vancouver. The new television
station will add to the diversity of voices in over-the-air ethnic television
broadcasting in Canada and bring a fresh perspective and dynamism to the local
broadcasting market.
Proposed new service
MVBC's new station will be the only locally owned and managed TV service in
Vancouver. MVBC is owned by Vancouver investors with strong broadcasting,
business and community backgrounds. As members of Vancouver's ethnic communities
themselves, MVBC's owners will, in the CRTC's view, be able to bring
understanding and sensitivity to the needs of the Vancouver ethnic broadcasting
audience.
The new station will offer programming directed to at least 22 different
ethnic groups in 22 different languages and exclusively ethnic programming in the
prime time hours between 8 and 10 p.m.. As well, it will offer 28 hours a week of
original news programming. All the news will be delivered in third languages with
the exception of 7 hours of news a week, which will be in English and directed to
the South Asian market.
Background
Before awarding the licence to MVBC, the CRTC conducted a public process
during which it also examined a competing application from CFMT-TV, a division of
Rogers Communications Inc.. When considering the two applications; the Commission
looked at factors such as the viability of proposed business plans, plans for
local programming, support for independent production and ownership structure and
composition.
Although both proposals were of excellent quality, the Commission concluded
that local and ethnic ownership of this television service would best promote the
goals of the Ethnic Broadcasting Policy.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is an
independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and
telecommunications in Canada.
Reference Document: Broadcasting Decision CRTC
2002-39
- 30 -
Media Inquiries:
Denis Carmel, Tel: (819) 997-9403, eMail: denis.carmel@crtc.gc.ca
General Inquiries:
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
Tel: (819) 997-0313, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 994-0218
Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), eMail:
info@crtc.gc.ca
TDD - Toll-free # 1-877-909-2782
Copies of today's documents are available through our Internet site
(http://www.crtc.gc.ca) or by contacting the public examination room of any CRTC
office. These documents are available in alternative format upon request.
| City |
Telephone |
TDD |
Fax |
Edmonton
Halifax
Montreal
Ottawa-Hull
Regina
Toronto
Vancouver
Winnipeg |
(780) 495-3224
(902) 426-7997
(514) 283-6607
(819) 997-2429
(306) 780-3422
(416) 952-9096
(604) 666-2111
(204) 983-6306 |
(819) 994-0423
(902) 426-6997
(514) 283-8316
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(604) 666-0778
(204) 983-8274 |
(819) 994-0218
(902) 426-2721
(514) 283-3689
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(604) 666-8322
(204) 983-6317 |
Date Modified: 2002-02-14 |
