Program logging only issue after sifting through CHUM ‘hyperbolae’: Craig

Craig Broadcast Systems Inc. argues that after sifting "through all the hyperbolae", the only real issue relating to a complaint filed against its new youth specialty channel is the logging of music video clips. CHUM Ltd. has complained to the CRTC that Craig has altered its new diginet so much that it is now competitive with MuchMusic in violation of the regulator’s policies (CCR, Feb. 15/02). "Clearly, CHUM is annoyed about the branding of Craig’s teen service," writes Jennifer Strain, Craig’s VP of corporate and regulatory affairs, in a February 14 second reply submission to the commission. "But the CRTC does not regulate what a service calls itself. In this case, the brand has been instrumental in establishing the service as a teen destination and has been a bright light in a difficult digital launch." In an interview, Strain reiterates that MTV Canada is not competitive with MuchMusic. "At the heart of it, MTV Canada is not a music video service, and MuchMusic is a music video service. That’s what it boils down to in our view," she says. "We have tons of programming in our schedule that is not music videos. It’s general entertainment programs, it’s educational and formal educational programs, it’s extreme sports – all kinds of different stuff." In its latest filing, Craig notes that the CRTC granted only part of a licence amendment request that would allow MuchMusic to air more lifestyle-oriented and entertainment programming – Decision 94-439. "The commission granted the request only in part, indicating that the changes would ensure the ‘…continued presence of a service that is distinctly oriented towards music and music videos in particular’," Craig states. In response to CHUM’s point that the CRTC deemed MTV competitive in 1992, Craig responds that the world has changed since then. "Not only has MTV (in the U.S.) evolved from a music video service to a lifestyle service with a variety of teen-oriented programming, the commission has moved to a pro-competitive regulatory approach…" Craig disputes CHUM’s argument that a program such as Cribs, which it describes as taking viewers on tours of celebrity homes, is "music related". CHUM has also taken issue with how Craig is logging MTV Canada’s flagship program Select. Craig has classified it as variety programming, rather than video programming because less than half of the show, with commercials included, contains video clips. Strain says Craig is correctly logging Select as a variety program. "Our point is that you look at the context of the show – there is this issue of whether you count the commercials or not, that’s a legitimate issue and I don’t know how the commission is going to deal with that. But the commission has come up with the definition of a music video program, and if it’s not over 51 per cent music video clips then it’s not a music video," she tells CCR. CHUM contends that by using Craig’s interpretation, it could run an unlimited number of feature films on Book Television, for example, simply by having discussion around the movies. But that’s exactly what CHUM is currently doing with its Learning and Skills Television of Alberta Ltd. station, Craig states in its submission. Learning and Skills has committed to not air feature films unless they are educational. "CHUM regularly airs blockbuster Hollywood movies (on Learning and Skills) and has gotten around this apparent inconsistency with its licence condition by having a professor provide opening and closing remarks about the film and running a phone number to sign up for a film studies course," Craig states. Adds Strain: "I guess my point is that if you want to start dissecting every element of a program, you are not going to just start and end with MTV. There are examples all over the place that are legion."In its February 22 response to Craig’s latest submission, CHUM does not address MTV Canada, but limits its comments to Craig’s Category 2 MTV 2 channel.

Program logging only issue after sifting through CHUM ‘hyperbolae’: Craig

News | 03/01/2002 5:00 am EST

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