ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-451

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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-451

  Ottawa, 8 October 2004
  Ten Broadcasting Inc.
Across Canada
  Applications 2003-1882-5, 2003-1881-7
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-42
21 June 2004
 

Hustler Channel and X Channel - Licence amendments

  In this decision, the Commission approves applications to make Hustler Channel and X Channel available in the high definition format.
 

The applications

1.

The Commission received applications by Ten Broadcasting Inc. (Ten), to amend the broadcasting licences for the national, Category 2 specialty programming undertakings known as Hustler Channel (Hustler) and X Channel (X) (previously known as TEN-Channel 1 and TEN-Channel 2), in order to allow Hustler and X to be available for distribution in the high definition (HD) format. The programming would be the same as that offered on the analog versions of the services.
 

The intervention

2.

The Commission received one intervention by the Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA), expressing general comments in connection with these applications.

3.

The CCTA supported the applications, but opposed any requirement on behalf of its members to carry high definition specialty services. The CCTA stated that "distributors should be allowed to choose to carry these services based on sufficient amounts of compelling high definition content." The intervener further stated that it is imperative that the Commission encourage broadcasters to produce and purchase HD programming that will meaningfully increase levels of true HD programming in Canada.

4.

The applicant did not reply to the intervention.
 

The Commission's analysis and determination

5.

With respect to the concerns related to carriage expressed by the CCTA, the Commission notes that carriage of the services will be arranged through negotiation.

6.

In The regulatory framework for the distribution of digital television signals, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2003-61, 11 November 2003, the Commission stated that it would authorize the licensee of a Canadian pay or specialty service to make available an upgraded version of the service, by means of an amendment to the licence of the corresponding analog service. This authority would be in effect for a term of three years, pending the development of a licensing and distribution framework for Canadian pay and specialty services in HD format. This process was initiated in Call for comments on a proposed framework for the licensing and distribution of high definition pay and specialty services, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-58, 6 August 2004.

7.

Accordingly, the Commission approves the licensee's requests. By condition of each licence, Ten Broadcasting Inc. is authorized to make available for distribution, until 8 October 2007,versions of Hustler and X in high definition format, provided that not less than 95% of the video and audio components of the upgraded and analog versions of the services are the same, exclusive of the commercial messages and of any part of the services carried on subsidiary signals.
  Secretary General
  This decision is to be appended to each licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca 

Date Modified: 2004-10-08

Date modified: