CCR Short Takes

Manitoba telco gets limited broadcast distribution licenceThe CRTC has approved in part an application by MTS Communications Inc., a subsidiary of telephone company Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., for a broadcast distribution licence (CCR, May 23/02). The telco has been licensed to serve only the communities that it proposed to serve initially, namely Winnipeg and surrounding areas, which is in line with past commission decisions – Broadcasting Decision 2002-235. It had applied for a regional licence covering Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. In response to concerns expressed by cable operators regarding the potential for cross-subsidization between MTS’ telecom services and new broadcast distribution service, the CRTC said it was satisfied that sufficient safeguards and procedures already exist to address the concerns (CCR, Jan. 31/02). Quebecor Média granted regional bilingual VOD licenceThe CRTC has granted a licence to Quebecor Média-owned Groupe Archambault to operate a bilingual regional video-on-demand (VOD) service to be called Théâtre Archambault – Broadcasting Decision 2002-203. The proposed VOD service would consist mainly of English- and French-language feature films, with some third-language programming. A condition of licence stipulates that 50 per cent of its programs must be in French. As with other VOD operators, with the exception of coverage relating exclusively to events, its programming packages will be available to viewers for periods not exceeding one week. Groupe Archambault would control and operate the undertaking while Quebecor’s Vidéotron ltée cable unit will manage the technological infrastructure required for the new VOD service. The VOD licence expires on Aug. 31, 2008, and the undertaking must be operational by July 23, 2004. Comment deadline extended on BDU regulations for CPAC The CRTC has extended until August 19 the deadline for comments on changes to the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations to implement its policy regarding the distribution of the proceedings of the House of Commons on the Cable Public Affairs Channel – Broadcasting Public Notice 2002-34-1 (CCR, June 21/02, June 7/01, May 10/01). The original deadline set out in Broadcasting Notice 2002-34 was August 5. Feds give thousands in support to Northern Native BroadcastingThe federal government is giving $326,855 to Northern Native Broadcasting, Terrace (NNBT). It produces radio programming in Aboriginal languages that serves 56 communities in northern British Columbia. The financial assistance is being granted under Canadian Heritage’s Northern Native Broadcast Access Program, and is being provided within the December 2001 federal budget. "The government of Canada is committed to promoting and enhancing Aboriginal languages and cultures and to assisting in the production and broadcasting of radio programs that meet the cultural, linguistic and information needs of Aboriginal people of Northern British Columbia," said Herb Dhaliwal, minister of Natural Resources, who made the announcement last month on behalf of Canadian Heritage. According to Canadian Heritage’s 2002-03 Report on Plans and Priorities, the Northern Native Broadcast Access Program will provide $8 million to 13 Aboriginal communications societies in 2002-03 for the production and distribution of Aboriginal radio and television programming. The report also states the department will undertake a review of the support provided for Aboriginal broadcasting, taking into consideration the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, currently studying the state of the Canadian broadcasting system. Sportsnet gets approval to expand program categoriesSports specialty channel Rogers Sportsnet Inc. can now broadcast sports documentaries as the CRTC granted it a licence amendment that will allow it to broadcast program cateogories 2a (analysis and interpretation) and 2b (long-form documentaries) – Broadcasting Decision 2002-214. The CRTC determined that "the addition of program categories 2a and 2b will not change the essence of Sportsnet’s nature of service." There were no interventions in the process. Rogers Cable service disrupted in Toronto area due to fireAbout 50,000 Rogers Cable Inc. cable and high-speed Internet customers were affected when service went down in the Greater Toronto Area on August 4-5. The cause was a fibre break in the Don Mills and Overlea area following a fire in the area. French-language digital channels ask for another launch delayThe CRTC is seeking comments on applications filed by the five must-carry Category 1 French-language digital specialty channels for another year’s delay to launch their channels – Broadcasting Public Notice 2002-43 & 2002-46. The requests by Perfecto, La Chaîne, Info-Sports, LCN Affaires, Télé Ha! Ha! and Canal Mystère were expected given that there are only about 560,000 digital TV subscribers in the Quebec market. The CRTC noted its preliminary view that the services be granted an extension to launch to Sept. 30, 2003. National Film Board to close London office in consolidationThe National Film Board (NFB) plans to consolidate its European commercial distribution operations. Its Paris office will become the base of its European operation on October 14. The London office, located at Canada House in Trafalgar Square, will close on that date. "This decision is intended to maximize the profitability of our distribution system and was taken based on a study revealing duplication between the operations of the NFB’s London and Paris offices," said Johanne St-Arnauld, director general of distribution, in a media release issued July 30. The New York office will remain open and continue to serve the North American market, while representatives in Montreal will continue to oversee distribution in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific. CRTC grants various low-powered radio licencesThe CRTC has granted various low-powered radio licences, including to the Red Deer Visitor and Convention Bureau to operate an English-language station dedicated to tourist information – Broadcasting Decision 2002-207. Also granted a licence were Rick Martin Trucking Ltd. to operate a low-powered mobile FM station to warn travellers of oncoming logging trucks around Sundre and Nordegg AB – Broadcasting Decision 2002-209 – and Guy Lavoie for a similar French-language service in Quebec – Broadcasting Decision 2002-210. As well, Jack McGaw Consulting was granted licences to operate a low-powered bilingual station to provide tourist information to people using Confederation Bridge – Broadcasting Decision 2002-211, and to provide tourist information in Halifax – Broadcasting Decision 2002-212. CRTC licenses new religious over-the-air station for WinnipegThe CRTC has approved Trinity Television Inc.’s application for a licence to operate a conventional religious television station to serve the Winnipeg area – Broadcasting Decision 2002-229. Trinity also operates a religious station serving the Fraser Valley in B.C., which launched in September 2001. McDonald talks trade, globalization and diversityElizabeth McDonald, president and CEO of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association, says the Canadian broadcasting system is not anti-American or anti-anyone. "Indeed, diversity has been one of the most critical measuring sticks that our Broadcasting Act requires of our broadcast system," she said last month at the Trading Culture Conference in Sheffield, England. She noted that the CRTC requires eight of 28 hours of weekly prime time programming on over-the-air television to be Canadian. "This equates to just 35 per cent of peak viewing hours. An obvious exception to the general 60 per cent Canadian content rule is our national public broadcaster, the CBC, which over the last five years has moved towards an all-Canadian prime-time schedule," she noted. "So, the next time you see that Canada has been put on the ‘watch list’ for the U.S.T.R. (U.S. trade representative), remember – we are just trying to hold onto 35 per cent of prime viewing time on Canadian television screens for Canadian stories." Internet use up, cable makes gains as online providerThe number of Canadians using the Internet from home increased by 1.1 million in 2001 to reach a total of 5.8 million, according to figures from the Household Internet Use Survey released late last month by Statistics Canada. About 49 per cent of all 12 million households had at least one person who regularly accessed the Internet from home. The survey also revealed strong growth since 2000 in Internet connections to the home by cable. According to StatsCan, an estimated 30 per cent of households, or 1.75 million, accessed the Internet regularly from home by means of a cable connection. Most of the remaining 4 million connected by telephone line. StatsCan conducted the 2001 Household Internet Use Survey as part of its Labour Force Survey, with 34,158 households responding to a survey conducted in January 2002.

CCR Short Takes

News | 08/15/2002 4:00 am EDT

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