ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-727

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  Route reference : 2009-565
  Ottawa, 27 November 2009
  CTV Limited and 1640576 Ontario Inc., partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Pulse 24 Partnership
Province of Ontario
  Application 2009-1080-4, received 27 July 2009
 

CP24 – Licence amendment

  The Commission approves an application to amend the broadcasting licence for the specialty television programming undertaking CP24 by adding program category 11 General entertainment and human interest, as set out in item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time, to the list of categories from which it may draw programming.
 

Introduction

1.

The Commission received an application by CTV Limited and 1640576 Ontario Inc., partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Pulse 24 Partnership, to amend the broadcasting licence for the regional (Ontario), English-language analog specialty television programming undertaking known as CP24 by adding program category 11 General entertainment and human interest, as set out in item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time, to the list of categories from which it may draw programming. The licensee submitted that the addition of category 11 would allow CP24 to build on the entertainment news programming that the service already airs from programming category 1 News.

2.

The Commission received an opposing intervention to this application by an individual who expressed concern that an approval would result in a reduction in locally-produced news.

3.

In response, the applicant confirmed that, should its application be approved, all of the category 11 programming aired on CP24 would comply with its nature of service. The applicant further affirmed that it would not deviate from CP24’s mandate to provide news and information programming.
 

Commission’s determination

4.

In Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, the Commission stated that it would authorize Category A services (presently known as Category 1 and analog pay and specialty services) to draw their programming from all program categories. The Commission is of the view that adding program category 11 is appropriate because this amendment complies with the objectives set out in that public notice. The Commission nevertheless reminds the applicant that all programming from category 11 broadcast by CP24 must be consistent with its nature of service definition; that is, such programming must be "devoted to news and information with a focus on Southern Ontario." The Commission notes, as an example, that national entertainment magazine programming would be inconsistent with CP24’s nature of service definition.

5.

In light of the above, the Commission approves the application by CTV Limited and 1640576 Ontario Inc. , partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Pulse 24 Partnership, to amend the broadcasting licence for the regional (Ontario), English-language analog specialty television programming undertaking known as CP24 by adding program category 11 General entertainment and human interest, as set out in item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time, to the list of categories from which it may draw programming. The Commission replaces the current condition of licence 1. (b) with the following condition of licence:
 

The programming shall be drawn exclusively from the following categories set out in item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time:

 

1 News
2 (a) Analysis and interpretation

(b) Long-form documentary

3 Reporting and actualities
5 (b) Informal education/Recreation and leisure
6 (a) Professional sports

(b) Amateur sports

11 General entertainment and human interest
12 Interstitials
13 Public service announcements
14 Infomercials, promotional and corporate videos

6.

The Commission notes that it is maintaining condition of licence 1.(c), which reads as follows:
 

The licensee shall not broadcast live coverage of sporting events.

 

Related matter

7.

In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2009-461, the Commission announced the receipt of an application (2009-0922-8) by CTVglobemedia Inc, on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary CTV, for authority to acquire, as part of a corporate reorganization, the assets of CP24, which is currently held under a partnership consisting of CTV and 1640576, partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Pulse 24 Partnership. Upon closing of the transaction, CTV would become the sole licensee of CP24. In the event the licence amendment described above is approved by the Commission, the proposed licensee for the acquisition of assets application (CTV) would be subject to the conditions of licence as amended.
  Secretary General
  Related documents
 
  • Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-461, 30 July 2009
 
  • Regulatory frameworks for broadcasting distribution undertakings and discretionary programming services – Regulatory policy - Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-100, 30 October 2008
  This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca.

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