News release
December 16th, 2004
CRTC announces a new approach to foreign
third-language television channels
OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced a new approach to
assessing requests for the delivery of foreign third-language television
channels to Canadian viewers.
“The Commission’s objective is to provide greater diversity and choice in
services targeted to third-language communities in Canada” said Charles
Dalfen, Chairman of the CRTC, “while fostering the viability of licensed
Canadian ethnic services which create and broadcast Canadian programming and
reflect Canadian points of view. I believe the policy changes we have
announced today achieve that balance.”
General Interest Services
From now on, requests to add general-interest foreign third-language
services to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a
digital basis will generally be approved, subject to packaging and
programming rights requirements aimed at minimizing possible negative impact
on Canadian third-language services.
Until now, the Commission assessed requests for third-language general
interest foreign services by applying the same competitiveness test to them
as applies to all foreign services, namely that they not be partially or
totally competitive with Canadian specialty or pay services. Since general
interest services, by their very nature, offer a wide variety of programming
genres, the application of the competitiveness test to them has often
revealed a significant overlap between their program mandates and schedules
and those of Canadian third-language services, resulting in the denial of a
number of non-Canadian services. These non-Canadian services could, however,
with appropriate safeguards, have enhanced the diversity and choice in our
broadcasting system, without depriving Canadian third-language services of
the ability to fulfill their conditions of licence and other regulatory
obligations.
A general interest service is one that offers programming from a broad
spectrum of genres and categories. A third-language service is one that
provides at least 90 percent of its programming in languages other than
English or French.
New Distribution and Linkage Requirements
On a going forward basis, any foreign general interest third-language
service that is added to the lists and offers programming in either
Cantonese, Mandarin, Italian, Spanish, Greek or Hindi, will have to be
purchased by subscribers along with the corresponding analog Canadian
third-language service, i.e. Telelatino, ATN, Fairchild, Talentvision, or
Odyssey. Similarly, where a non-Canadian general interest third-language
service offers programming in the same language as a general interest
Canadian Category 2 service, the broadcasting distribution undertaking
wishing to offer it must distribute at least one of the corresponding
Category 2 services, and make the two available both on a stand-alone basis
and in a package with the non-Canadian service.
Niche Services
The competitiveness test will continue to apply to non-Canadian
third-language niche services that are focused on a specific programming
genre or are directed to a particular audience within a language community.
Program Rights
The Commission will continue to require that all non-Canadian services
undertake not to hold exclusive or preferential program rights to the
distribution of any programming in Canada.
Services Already on the Lists
The Commission will soon issue a call for comments on applying the same
new distribution and linkage requirements to non-Canadian third-language
services that are already on the lists of eligible satellite services.
Background
Today’s decision follows a public consultation process in which views
were invited on the Commission’s approach to assessing requests for adding
non-Canadian third-language services to the lists of eligible satellite
services. Most comments supported the addition of more non-Canadian
third-language programming services to the Canadian broadcasting system,
arguing that such services would respond to demands for greater diversity in
programming, ensure better service to third-language ethnic communities, and
possibly discourage subscription to illegal satellite services.
Canada’s licensed ethnic broadcasting landscape currently includes four
over-the-air television stations, five analog specialty services, 21
launched Category 2 digital specialty services, 17 radio stations, and
several specialty audio services, all of which devote a significant portion
of their schedules to third-language programming. In addition, 30 Category 2
ethnic services have received authorization, but have yet to launch.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission is an
independent public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and
telecommunications in Canada.
Reference documents: Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-96 [.htm][.pdf]
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-53 [.htm][.pdf]
Information sheet
- 30 -
Media Relations:
MediaRelations@crtc.gc.ca, Tel: (819) 997-9403, Fax: (819) 997-4245
General Inquiries:
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
Dartmouth
Montreal
Ottawa-Gatineau
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: 2004-12-16 |