Second TSN feed should encourage transition to digital: CRTC

By approving The Sports Network Inc.’s (TSN) application to distribute multiple feeds of live sports programming on a digital basis (Broadcasting Decision 2006-620), the CRTC has provided another incentive for Canadian viewers to go digital. Even though the CRTC only ruled on TSN’s application on November 9, the broadcaster will take advantage of its new freedom this week. President Phil King says TSN has already made arrangements with some BDUs to air National Hockey League games on the regular TSN feed, while simultaneously broadcasting the PGA Grand Slam of Golf on what he refers to as TSN’s digital "ultimate feed." "This is really designed to alleviate our programming conflicts," King says. Most often, those conflicts were dealt with by taping one event and broadcasting it after the other. That meant, for instance, Ontario viewers would have to stay up until midnight if they wanted to catch the US Open tennis semi-finals following a National Football League game. King, however, clarifies that the new second feed has limitations. "What it isn’t at the moment is a permanent TSN2 ," he says, referring to the multiple channels offered by US sports broadcaster ESPN. "People think we actually have another full-time 24-hour channel – we do not." Under its conditions of licence, TSN’s second feed is limited to 10% of its programming schedule on a quarterly basis – 218 hours per quarter or roughly 2.4 hours per day. In fact, King doesn’t envision an additional TSN channel being offered by most BDUs. Rather, he says many will use their digital barker channel to show the alternate sports programming where TSN has a conflict. "We’ll ask distributors if they’d like to show this ultimate TSN programming to their customers," King adds. "It’s only about a three-hour split each day and then the channel goes down." TSN applied for a licence amendment allowing multiple simultaneous feeds following a Canadian Broadcasting Corp. complaint that TSN had multiplexed NHL games last fall (CCR, June 5/2006). In lieu of punishing TSN, the CRTC invited the broadcaster to apply to multiplex on a limited basis. Since TSN’s licence already stated that it "may distribute separate regional programming in place of its national service...provided that the hours devoted to such regional programming do not exceed 10% of the licensee’s quarterly program schedule," it only had to apply for the allowance to "distribute such multiple feeds of its service in a single region on a digital-only basis." "Prior to , if TSN was broadcasting both feeds – a viewer could receive either one or the other," says Martine Vallee, director of English pay, specialty and social policy at the CRTC. Essentially, TSN’s right to distribute a second feed existed to offer substitute programming during local blackouts. But with the digital allowance TSN’s multiple feed capabilities are now perhaps competitive, not just substitutive. "Because it’s limited to 10%, the commission didn’t feel that this would have an undue competitive impact on other sports specialties," adds Vallee. In its determination, the commission also stated that approving TSN’s request would give viewers more options and help encourage the transition to digital. The latter, it seems, has become a ubiquitous rationale in CRTC broadcasting applications and decisions. "Since the mid-‘90s, the transition to digital has been a reason given by almost every applicant for almost anything digital related," says Jon Medline, director of regulatory affairs at CanWest Global Communications Corp. "The fact that this is only available on a digital basis may be an incentive for some customers when they realize they may be able to get...more hockey games," says Peter Kovacs, Rogers Cable Inc.’s director, regulatory. While the ruling allows BDUs to decided on a case-by-case basis whether they will offer the second TSN feed, it’s hard to imagine instances where they won’t make it available, especially since King says it’ll be provided for free. "We’re obviously offering a lot of value to the BDUs on digital," says King, adding that TSN has no immediate plans to try and take the second feed beyond its 10% allotment. "We’re allowed to do between two and three hours a day, which is more than enough to take care of our conflicts right now."

Second TSN feed should encourage transition to digital: CRTC

Broadcast | November 22, 2006

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