CCR Short Takes

Bell ExpressVu pay-per-view offers new view of NASCAR racesBell ExpressVu LP has inked a deal with the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) for a pay-per-view (PPV) service that provides viewers with in-car camera coverage of NASCAR Winston Cup Series events. The PPV offering, called NASCAR in Car on Vu!, complements the live coverage of Winston Cup events currently broadcast on SportsNet and TSN. NASCAR in Car on Vu! consists of seven sequential digital channels. The first channel duplicates the live event broadcast, while the other channels are dedicated to in-car cameras, live team audio communications and real-time race car performance data, and additional event information. The service, which began with the September 1 race in Darlington, South Carolina, runs through the 2004 Winston Cup season. A package of up to 12 races in 2002 costs $59, or a combination package priced at $159 includes the remainder of this season and the entire 2003 season. CTV wants changes to licences for two of its Category 1 diginetsCTV Television Inc. is asking the CRTC to delete the current condition of licence that limits informal education/recreation and leisure programming on its Category 1 diginet CTV Travel to 5 per cent. It says that the elimination of the limit will allow it "greater flexibility" to meet its Canadian content obligations, while providing viewers with a greater variety of programming. It has also applied for an amendment to the licence for its Category 1 channel WTSN that would allow it to air more programming that has already been broadcast on CTV’s conventional television network. It wants the CRTC to change its current condition of licence from 10 per cent during each broadcast week to 20 per cent on a semi-annual basis. It also wants to expand its programming to include analysis and interpretation programming, and reporting and actualities – Broadcasting Public Notice 2002-50. Comments on the requests are due October 2. MusiquePlus gets extension on launching Category 1 diginetThe CRTC has granted MusiquePlus an extension until September 30, 2003 to launch its Category 1 digital channel called Perfecto, La Chaîne – Broadcasting Decision 2002-284 (CCR, Aug. 15/02). CRTC approves additional signals on various cable systemsThe CRTC has approved a request by Alberta-based Northern Cablevision Ltd. to distribute on its Class 1 and 2 systems, on a discretionary basis, a second set of U.S. 4+1 signals and any of the Canadian television signals on the list of Part 3 eligible satellite services – Broadcasting Decision 2002-285. "The commission considers that carriage, on a discretionary basis, of Canadian signals provided for in the list and of an additional set of 4+1 signals, when coupled with other initiatives such as the carriage of newly licensed Canadian digital services, could serve as an incentive for cable customers to subscribe to the digital service offerings of cable systems. The distribution of such services would also increase the choice available to cable subscribers," the CRTC states in its September 11 decision. The CRTC also approved a request by Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel) to distribute on its Class 1 cable systems serving Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Yorkton, Estevan, Weyburn, Swift Current, North Battleford, Battleford, White City and Pilot Butte SK a second set of 4+1 signals, and any Canadian television signal on the list of Part 3 eligible satellite services – Broadcasting Decision 2002-286. The commission approved similar requests made by Aurora Cable TV Ltd. for its Aurora and Richmond Hill ON systems – Broadcasting Decision 2002-280 – and for Hamilton-based Southmount Cable Ltd. – Broadcasting Decision 2002-281 – and Hamilton-based Mountain Cablevision Ltd. – Broadcasting Decision 2002-279. Both Southmount and Mountain also received approval to distribute the off-air signal of WNYO-49 (Warner Brothers) from Buffalo NY. CRTC issues more Category 2 licences for ethnic channelsThe CRTC has approved a licence for Thendrel TV, an ethnic Category 2 digital channel targeting the Tamil-speaking community in Canada – Broadcasting Decision 2002-288. No less than 90 per cent of all programming broadcast during each broadcast week will be in the Tamil language, according to its licence condition. The commission also approved a licence for K&C TV, an ethnic Category 2 digital channel targeting Canada’s Korean population – Broadcasting Decision 2002-287. No less that 95 per cent of all programming aired during each broadcast week will be in Korean. Government commits $105 million to broadband initiativeIndustry minister Allan Rock announced this month that the government would spend $105 million on rolling out broadband to unserved First Nation, northern, remote and rural communities. The money will come from the government’s $2-billion infrastructure fund. The announcement is aimed at reaffirming the government’s commitment to bringing broadband to rural Canadians by 2005 (CCR Update, Aug. 21/02). Under the program, entitled Broadband for Rural and Northern Development Pilot Program, applicants will be eligible for up to $30,000 to develop a business plan to connect remote communities to high-speed Internet. Additional funding will be available in a second phase. The money will be allocated based on recommendations by the National Selection Committee, headed by University of Waterloo president David Johnston. The selection committee will evaluate applications based on a number of criteria, including the capacity of the applicant to successfully implement the business plan, community need, and degree of connectivity currently available in the community concerned. The amount, however, is miniscule compared with to the $1.5 billion that the National Broadband Task Force, also headed by Johnston, recommended that all levels of government contribute to the high-speed Internet initiative.

CCR Short Takes

Broadcast | September 12, 2002

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