News Release

February 12, 2001

ACHIEVING A BETTER BALANCE:
MORE FRENCH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION AND RADIO SERVICES FOR FRANCOPHONES OUTSIDE QUEBEC

OTTAWA-HULL — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today issued its report to the Governor in Council on French-language broadcasting services in a minority environment.

The report is accompanied by a policy statement outlining the measures to be implemented by the CRTC to increase the availability of pay and specialty television services in the minority official language for cable subscribers.

CRTC Vice-Chair of Broadcasting, Andrée Wylie, explained: "In order to facilitate the access of francophones outside Quebec to these services, the CRTC requires that from now on distribution undertakings using digital technology offer more of such services, while allowing the consumer to decide whether or not to subscribe."

She added: "The Commission’s approach took into account the realities and constraints inherent in this period of transition between the two modes of distribution, and focused on the capacity of digital technology to offer a wider range of services. Moreover, the Commission is ensuring that those receiving French-language programming through analog distribution continue to be able to do so."

In order to respond to the questions raised in the Order in Council, the CRTC held extensive public consultations across the country. These consultations took place in 11 Canadian cities in the fall of 2000, concluding with a public hearing on October 18 and 19 in the National Capital Region.

Some of the issues concerned the provision of French-language public, private or community radio and television services (including specialty, pay and pay-per-view television) in Canadian communities where francophones are in the minority.

In keeping with the cultural objectives of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), and the need to accommodate different realities across Canada, today the Commission is issuing a report accompanied by recommendations consistent with the requirements of the Act.

In particular, the Act stipulates that the Canadian broadcasting system shall reflect Canada’s linguistic duality and cultural diversity and that a range of radio and television services in English and French shall be extended to all Canadians as resources become available.

The CRTC’s report contains over 30 recommendations. The information sheet accompanying this news release provides the highlights. The detailed list of recommendations can be found in Appendix 1 of the report.

While the Commission is aware that many consumers depend on analog distribution, it is looking, however, to advances in digital technology and the widening access to the Internet to provide access to a greater number of French-language radio and television services in francophone communities in a minority environment.

While facilitating access to a variety of services constitutes one of the report’s principal objectives, the Commission also emphasizes the importance of more accurately reflecting the culture and characteristics of francophones outside Quebec, on both radio and television. To this end, it encourages more production of quality programs that showcase francophone minorities, increased broadcasting of French-language regional productions, and more frequent use of independent producers from outside Quebec.

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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
Media Relations:
     Denis Carmel, Tel: (819) 997-9403, eMail: denis.carmel@crtc.gc.ca 

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.

Date Modified: 2001-02-12

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