CCR Short Takes

Licence applications for Calgary, Edmonton TV stations soughtHaving received an application for a television broadcasting licence to serve Calgary and Edmonton, with a retransmitter in Red Deer, the CRTC has opened up the process. The commission is calling for applications from all interested parties wishing to obtain broadcasting licences for TV services in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer – Public Notice 2002-69. Applications must be submitted to the CRTC by February 5, 2003. "Applicants will be required to provide evidence giving clear indication that there is a demand and market for the station and the proposed service," the regulator notes in its public notice. Regulator approves five more English Category 2 diginetsThe CRTC on November 6 granted licences to five more Category 2 digital channels, including the market research channel Response TV proposed by IBDG Inc. – Broadcasting Notice 2002-343. The service will utilize interactive technology to test levels of viewer/user satisfaction with existing digital content. Original programming will report on the research collected through the channel as well as on consumer response studies from around the world. Also receiving approval were The Kennel Club Network, with programming devoted to exploring the world of dogs (Broadcasting Decision 2002-342), Arabic Television Network, a general interest service targeting Arab-speaking audiences (Broadcasting Decision 2002-344), Métis Michif Television Network, a service focusing on the Métis culture and heritage (Broadcasting Decision 2002-345), and The Hallmark Channel (Canada), which is aimed at youth and family audiences and will air adaptations of literary classics, historical dramas, adventure and romance (Broadcasting Decision 2002-350). CRTC says yes to Canal Plaisir, grants Category 2 licenceThe CRTC has granted a Category 2 digital channel licence to Ten Broadcasting Inc. for a French-langauge adult entertainment service called Canal Plaisir – Broadcasting Decision 2002-341. The channel will consist of films, open line and talk shows and other entertainment and educational programs on the theme of sexuality. CRTC denies Category 2 licence for ethnic movie channelThe CRTC has denied a licence to LS Movie Channel for a proposed Category 2 diginet focusing on Asian-language movies – Broadcasting Decision 2002-349. The commission determined that the proposed service would be directly competitive with existing analog specialty channels. "In the commission’s view, broadcasters operating in the ethnic television market need more support to survive than do television broadcasters serving larger, non-ethnic audiences," the CRTC notes in its ruling. "In the present case, the commission determines that the proposed Movie Express service would target the same audience as that currently serviced by Fairchild TV and Talentvision and would significantly affect the advertising base of the intervener’s services…Given the limited number of potential viewers and advertising revenues in the ethnic market, the commission considers that the intervener’s services would be particularly vulnerable to the impact of the proposed service." Diversity, drama are priorities, Dalfen tells ACTRA membersCRTC chair Charles Dalfen hopes to see at least a few Canadian drama and comedy series in the top ten TV programs by the end of his term. Speaking November 6 to the ACTRA Toronto Members Conference at the University of Toronto, he said, "But we musn’t give up on drama, which remains everywhere the most popular form of television." Along with hiring broadcast veteran Trina McQueen to develop options and proposals to create new incentives for Canadian drama (CCR, Oct. 24/02), he noted that the commission had also retained the help of Barry Kiefl, an expert in audience research. Kiefl will study international trends in prime-time entertainment programming over the past five years. "This will increase our understanding of the context in which Canadian broadcasters are operating," he said. The first CRTC chair to address an ACTRA meeting, Dalfen stated, "The title of my talk today is a question: Is Canadian TV drama possible? Let me answer that with another question: Is Canada possible? Because if Canada is possible as an independent country, it seems to me that Canadian TV drama is not only possible, but essential." He also touched upon the CRTC’s goal of ensuring that the country’s broadcasting reflects, and is enriched by, the cultural diversity of Canada. Vidéotron cuts subscriber losses, sees digital growth Quebec cable operator Vidéotron ltée experienced lower basic cable subscriber losses in its third quarter ended September 30 than previous quarters in this fiscal year, but the performance was worse than the year-earlier period. The cableco lost 8,000 net cable subscribers in the period, compared to a loss of 29,000 net customers in the second quarter and 26,000 in the first. Vidéotron added 10,000 net basic cable subscribers in the third quarter of 2001. The results were more positive on the digital cable side as Vidéotron had its strongest quarter for digital cable growth since launching digital in 1999. The cableco added 20,000 net digital set-top boxes in Q3, compared to 16,000 in the previous quarter and 10,000 in Q2 2001. Astral Media has millions in cash reserves at end of fiscal 2001Astral Media Inc. had cash reserves of $73.1 million at August 31, 2002, compared with $12.6 million a year earlier, according to financials released by the company on October 23. Astral noted that net earnings from continuing operations almost doubled in 2002, reaching $57.1 million compared to $29.7 million in the previous year. Astral president and CEO Ian Greenberg commented in a media release: "It is important to note that all our business units contributed to Astral’s successful year. Our television group once again led the way achieving record subscriber levels and outstanding growth in advertising revenues. Our radio group weathered a challenging year in preparation for the Telemedia acquisition. Finally, our outdoor advertising group significantly grew their revenues amidst a generally sluggish advertising market." Deadline extended again for comments on signal dealThe CRTC has extended again the deadline for public comments on a Bell ExpressVu-Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) deal on the carriage of out-of-market signals to December 20 – Broadcasting Public Notice 2002-57-2. The original deadline was December 2, which was extended initially to December 9 (CCR Update, Oct. 30/02). Reply comments are now not due until January 17, 2003. The deadline was extended at the request of the CAB and Bell ExpressVu. Shaw Cable to launch another channel despite 5-to-1 ruleShaw Cablesystems has launched Corus Entertainment Inc.’s Category 2 Scream channel, despite the CRTC’s 5-to-1 rule. That rule says that a distributor can carry one affiliated channel for every five that are non-affiliated. To conform to the CRTC regulation, Shaw should have picked up two unaffiliated channels at the same time as it launched Scream. Word from Shaw is that it is working on signing deals to carry two non-affiliated digital channels that are licensed but have not yet launched.

CCR Short Takes

News | 11/07/2002 5:00 am EST

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