CCR Update

Charles Dalfen to head CRTCPrime Minister Jean Chrétien announced today the appointment of Charles Dalfen as chair of the CRTC, effective Jan. 1, 2002. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters was quick to applaud the appointment in a statement. Dalfen, a former vice chair of the CRTC in the late 1970s, is currently a senior partner with the Torys law firm in Toronto, and is chair of the firm’s Communications Law Group. More details. Bell ExpressVu reaches 1 million subs, Star Choice stalledDirect-to-home (DTH) satellite TV distributor Bell ExpressVu LP announced Nov. 27 that it reached 1 million subscribers this month. On the other hand, competitor Star Choice Television Network Inc. blamed the events of Sept. 11 in predicting a lower-than expected gain of 40,000 subscribers in its first quarter ending Nov. 30. For a more detailed analysis of Bell ExpressVu’s growth, read the upcoming edition of CCR. More details: Bell ExpressVu reaches one million customers Shaw Communications: update on @Home conversion and subscriber growth McQueen announces retirementTrina McQueen announced Nov. 27 that she would be retiring as president and COO of CTV Inc, effective January 7, 2002. She has agreed to stay on for at least six months in the new role of deputy chair of CTV. Next year will mark McQueen’s 35th year in television. McQueen’s existing job will be split into two: NetStar and CTV. NetStar, which includes four specialty channels, numerous digital channels, and other assets, is run by president Rick Brace, who will now report directly to Ivan Fecan. CTV Television, comprising the CTV Network, 27 conventional stations, and four specialty channels, will also have its own president. Fecan, who is CEO of CTV and president/CEO of parent Bell Globemedia, will assume the duties of CTV president on an interim basis. More details. ACTRA appears before Heritage standing committeeDuring an appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on Nov. 27, the Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) said Canadian content must be redefined. ACTRA policy advisor Garry Neil said that much of what counts as Canadian programming is not culturally significant, but "industrial work and much of that is driven creatively and financially from south of the border." ACTRA recommends that Canadian content be redefined as a program created entirely by Canadians. Neil noted that culturally significant drama programming is on the downturn with a change in regulatory policies. "So we are losing the capacity to produce what we most need for cultural purposes, which is the high-end drama, the high-value variety entertainment," he told the committee, which is studying the Canadian broadcasting system. Richard Stursberg, chair of the Canadian Television Fund (CTF), also appeared before the committee and noted that more documentaries and children’s programming are being funded by the CTF. Several committee members suggested during the proceedings that the Standing Committee on Finance was reluctant to recommend including money to renew the CTF in the upcoming budget because the fund was initially billed as a temporary measure to kick-start Canadian production. Finance minister Paul Martin is scheduled to introduce his new budget on Dec. 10. Majority of digital subscribers receptive to iTVAbout 79% of digital cable subscribers are receptive to interactive television, while only 55% of analog cable subscribers are, according to a new Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) survey. Reporting on the survey, which is available to CTAM members only, Multichannel News noted the top three reasons for wanting iTV by both digital and analog customers are video-on-demand, personal video recorders, and local information. Digital subscribers ranked watching programs interactively as a fourth priority. CRTC sets Newsnet’s terms of licenceFollowing continuous complaints by the CBC that CTV Newsnet wasn’t following its headline news format, the CRTC has ruled that the specialty channel must air a minimum two-minute headline news segment every 15 minutes – Decision 2001-711. However, the CRTC did grant some flexibility by allowing Newsnet to go beyond 15 minutes of non-headline news programming a maximum of 25 times per week. At least four commissioners, who wrote dissents, thought that CTV should have been granted even more flexibility. For more information including an interview with at least one CRTC dissenting commissioner, read the upcoming edition of CCR. More details. CRTC questions Corus on WTN moveThe CRTC fired off a letter to Corus Entertainment Inc. on Nov. 23, demanding information relating to its decision to move the operations of the Women’s Television Network (WTN) from Winnipeg to Toronto. Many jobs are expected to be lost as Corus consolidates WTN’s operations with its broadcast operations in Toronto (CCR, Nov. 22/01). "In view of the recent sweeping changes at WTN, announced just five days after the commission’s decision to approve the acquisition, the commission is concerned about the implementation of the benefits and commitments that it approved. Please provide the commission, as soon as possible, with a detailed explanation of how Corus intends to honour all of its commitments in relation to the acquisition of WTN," says the CRTC’s letter, signed by Jean-Pierre Blais, executive director of broadcasting. Regional, Shaw announce digital packagesRegional Cablesystems Inc. announced Nov. 27 that it was introducing bundled cable television and high-speed cable Internet packages in Sudbury, Timmins, and other connected markets this month. A premium package of 174 analog and digital channels and Internet access has been priced at $94.99/month. Another option is a package of 55 analog television channels and high-speed Internet access for $64.99/month. Meanwhile, Shaw announced it would charge $1.99 per month for individual digital channels, $5.95 for five digital channels, $9.95 for 10 digital channels, or $19.95 for all 30 new digital channels it has launched. PrideVision will be offered as a stand-alone service for $5.95/month. More details: Regional Cablesystems introduces the Power of 2 Shaw customers get true choice; responds to overwhelming customer desire for choice and control in packaging and pricing of new digital channels Rogers applies for basic rate deregulation in Ottawa, LondonRogers Cable Inc. has applied to the CRTC for deregulation of its basic cable packages in Ottawa and London. In a Nov. 14 letter to the commission, Rogers says it lost 8.8% or 21,201 customers in Ottawa and surrounding area between September 1997 and October 2000, and 11.9% or 14,566 in London and surrounding area. Under the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, cable companies can seek deregulation if they have lost more than 5% of its customers and competition exists in its territory. Rogers’ cable systems in Woodstock and St. Thomas ON were the first in the country to be deregulated last month – Decision 2001-630. For more details, see the upcoming edition of CCR. The Family Channel gets administrative licence extensionThe CRTC has renewed the broadcasting licence of The Family Channel from March 1, 2002 until Aug. 31, 2002 for administrative purposes – Decision 2001-701. More Category 2 licences grantedThe CRTC has given Craig Broadcast Systems Inc. the go-ahead for an English-language Category 2 Western Channel – Decision 2001-700. It also approved an application by CTV Inc. for Soap Opera TV – Decision 2001-699. CRTC extends deadline on cultural diversity, interactivityThe CRTC has extended the deadline for filing the action plan on cultural diversity, being prepared by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, until Jan. 16, 2002 from Dec. 31, 2001. As well, it has extended the deadline for comments on the status of interactivity in the country from Jan. 15, 2002 to Feb. 15, 2002. More details: Public Notice CRTC 2001-88 Public Notice CRTC 2001-113-1 Licence conditions amended for Canal Z, Séries + The CRTC has approved an amendment to the licence of French-language specialty channel Canal Z allowing it to broadcast less Canadian content – Decision 2001-706. Canal Z is to broadcast Canadian programming during not less than 50% of the broadcast day and 40% of the evening. The old benchmarks were 60% and 50%, respectively. The licence of Séries + (formerly Canal Fiction) was also amended to allow the specialty channel to broadcast feature films at any time if it has participated in their funding at the production stage – Decision 2001-707. CCSA announces renewal of master affiliate agreements with CNBC, Bell ExpressVuThe Canadian Cable Systems Alliance Inc. has announced that it has renewed a five-year master affiliate agreement for the distribution of CNBC to all its member companies. As well, it announced the inclusion of new signals and revised pricing in its five-year master agreement with Bell ExpressVu LP for delivery of signals to members. Full details of the agreements were not released.

CCR Update

Broadcast | November 28, 2001

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