News release
November 5, 2007
CRTC announces changes to the public proceedings
scheduled for 2008
OTTAWA-GATINEAU — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced that the scope of the review of its policies for broadcasting distribution and discretionary services is being expanded to consider the possible introduction of a subscriber fee for the carriage of local conventional television stations (fee-for-carriage).
This issue was discussed during the Commission's review of its policies for conventional television. Following a preliminary reading of the submissions filed in preparation for the broadcasting distribution and discretionary services review, the Commission noted repeated calls for the fee-for-carriage proposal.
The Commission is of the view that the issues that have an impact on these sectors should be considered in the proper sequence given their interdependence. To allow interested parties more time to provide their comments on the fee-for-carriage issue, the public hearing will now begin on April 7, 2008, instead of February 4, 2008. The Commission will accept comments from interested parties until January 25, 2008.
Given that the outcome of the broadcasting distribution and discretionary services review may have an impact on the conventional television broadcasters, the Commission has moved their licence renewal hearings from April 2008 to late 2008 or early 2009. The current licences will be extended by one year, to August 31, 2009.
Today, the CRTC also announced that it will hold a public hearing beginning on February 4, 2008, in Gatineau, Que., to consider the recommendations made by the Task Force on the Canadian Television Fund (CTF), with a particular focus on the key issues identified in the notice of public hearing.
The issues related to the funding of Canadian programming and the governance of the CTF are complex, and the Task Force's recommendations generated a high level of interest. In reviewing the comments filed by interested parties, the Commission determined that these issues would benefit from an oral public hearing.
Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2007-10-3 [.htm][.pdf]
Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2007-15 [.htm][.pdf]
The CRTC
The CRTC is an independent, public authority that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.
Reference documents:
Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2007-10 [.htm][.pdf]
News release, “The Task Force releases its report on the Canadian Television Fund,” June 29, 2007
Report of the Task Force on the Canadian Television Fund [.htm] [.pdf]
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2007-70 [.htm] [.pdf]
News release, “The CRTC creates a Task Force on the Canadian Television Fund,” February 20, 2007
“Statement by Konrad von Finckenstein, Chairman of the CRTC [Canadian Television Fund],” February 13, 2007
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Date Modified: 2007-11-05
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