CRTC renews licences of 21 French-language TV stations
The CRTC earlier this month renewed the broadcasting licences of 21 regional French-language TV stations and sets their expiry dates to coincide with those of the originating stations and the networks with which they are affiliated (Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-94). Coordinating the licence renewal dates was part of the 1999 TV policy. In renewing the licences, the CRTC determined that there was no need to impose additional requirements with regard to regional independent production at this time. The regulator did, however, take issue with TVA’s performance with regard to implementing its corporate cultural diversity plan. "Although the initial plan was filed in September 2002 and the annual report was submitted in January 2004, the commission notes that TVA has not yet undertaken concrete initiatives to implement its corporate cultural diversity plan," the decision notes. The CRTC tells TVA to "show clear evidence" in its next annual diversity report of the efforts it has made and the concrete measures it has adopted to correct deficiencies in its corporate cultural diversity plan. The CRTC also noted that TQS had not yet submitted its corporate cultural diversity plan, and has required TQS to file its corporate on-screen cultural diversity plan within three months from the date of this notice. Among the stations receiving a licence renewal were TVA’s stations in Quebec, Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke, Rimouski and Saguenay, and TQS stations in Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke and Saguenay. Also, Radio Nord Communications inc.’s stations in Gatineau, Rouyn-Noranda and Val d’Or were renewed (CCR, Jan. 15/04).

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