CRTC requires BDUs to carry digital, analog versions of over-the-air TV channels

The CRTC released a policy framework this week that requires broadcast distributors to carry the digital versions of over-the-air television stations along with the analog signal. Distributors are required to carry both the digital and analog versions of conventional stations until at least 85% of their subscribers are capable of receiving digital, at which point they can apply to the commission to drop the analog signal (Broadcasting Public Notice 2003-61). CRTC chair Charles Dalfen told Canadian Communications Reports that he expects it will be about five years before the 85% threshold is reached and distributors will be able to drop the analog signals. "The commission considers that not requiring duplication of the analog and digital service once the penetration of digital television receivers and set-top boxes has reached a certain agreed threshold would help achieve these objectives (encouraging broadcasters to provide over-the-air digital versions of their services and distributors to upgrade their facilities)," reads the CRTC notice. CHUM Ltd.’s Citytv is the only over-the-air station that has received a digital licence and is broadcasting a digital version thus far (CCR, Jan 16/03), but Dalfen stated that he expects other networks to apply soon for over-the-air digital TV licences. While setting no deadlines for the conversion to digital, the CRTC has indicated that it will fast track licences for digital versions of over-the-air analog stations. "For the most part, the rights and obligations of broadcasting distribution undertakings in distribution of over-the-air digital signals will match those which they currently have in regard to distribution of the analog version of those signals," Dalfen said in a speech November 11 at the annual convention of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, when he unveiled the new policy. He noted that the policy should help drive digital and enable broadcasters to increase their advertising revenues to help recoup the substantial investment required to build and operate digital transmission facilities. The CRTC also announced that it would look next at the more controversial issue of the carriage of analog specialty channels in digital, but the framework released this week contains some interim guidelines for specialties. The regulator will permit Canadian pay and specialty services to make available "upgraded" or digital versions of their channels provided that no less than 95% of the video and audio components of the two versions are the same, exclusive of the commercial messages and of any part of the channel carried on a subsidiary signal. The upgraded versions will be green lighted by the CRTC by an amendment to the licence of the corresponding analog channel, with authorization granted for a term of three years. "The terms and conditions, including rates (for the upgraded version), will be negotiated between the parties concerned," states the CRTC notice. The commission also set 95% as the threshold for authorized non-Canadian channels looking to duplicate their signal in digital, and stated any foreign channel added before May 6, 1996 will receive grandfathered carriage. CRTC regulations will be amended to clarify that, if a non-Canadian analog service was added to the distributor’s channel lineup before that date, then "either the upgraded version or the analog version of the service, at the distributor’s option, will receive grandfathered carriage. The other version will be considered a post-1996 service," states the CRTC public notice. The interim policy for the carriage of specialty channels in digital calls on Canadian specialty channels to be given priority over non-Canadian services. Warned by broadcasters that the foreign services may refuse to grant rights to high-definition versions of programming, the CRTC cautioned, "…Should the withholding of HD rights become an issue, the commission would consider an application to remove the authority to distribute the non-Canadian service in question."

CRTC requires BDUs to carry digital, analog versions of over-the-air TV channels

News | 11/14/2003 5:00 am EST

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