ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2015-458

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 13 May 2015

Ottawa, 7 October 2015

Bell Media Inc.
Dawson Creek and Hudson’s Hope, British Columbia

Application 2015-0414-2

CJDC-TV Dawson Creek and CJDC-TV-1 Hudson’s Hope - Deletion of rebroadcasting transmitter

The Commission approves an application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language conventional television station CJDC-TV Dawson Creek, British Columbia, by deleting the analog rebroadcasting transmitter CJDC-TV-1 Hudson’s Hope.

Introduction

1. Bell Media Inc. (Bell Media) filed an application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language conventional television station CJDC-TV Dawson Creek, British Columbia, by deleting the analog rebroadcasting transmitter CJDC-TV-1 Hudson’s Hope.
2. Bell Media stated that a fire on 23 April 2015 completely destroyed the transmitter. It added that rebuilding the transmitter is not necessary due to (i) the lack of viewer inquiries received about the fire, (ii) the fact that the majority of the viewers in the area watch CJDC-TV via direct-to-home satellite service, (iii) the absence of revenue associated with the transmitter, and (iv) the significant costs associated with rebuilding the transmitter.

Intervention and reply

3. The Commission received an intervention opposing the application from the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC). The public record for this application can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca or by using the application number provided above.
4. PIAC stated that over-the-air television service continues to be an important means of connecting Canadians to local television programming, and that Hudson’s Hope residents would permanently lose access to this programming.
5. In reply, the licensee indicated that the lack of reaction to the loss of over-the-air service reinforces its position that Hudson’s Hope residents are satisfied with local news programming delivery via direct-to-home satellite service and other sources, such as online streaming from CJDC-TV’s website.

Commission’s analysis and decision

6. When Bell Media acquired CJDC-TV Dawson Creek as part of its acquisition of Astral Media Inc. (Astral) in 2013, Bell Media committed to maintaining each of the former Astral stations, and the Commission directed it to adhere to this commitment.^{Footnote 1} However, CJDC-TV-1 Hudson’s Hope is not a television station in itself and does not offer unique local or other programming that differs from that of CJDC-TV Dawson Creek; it is an analog rebroadcasting transmitter for the station, which will continue to operate unaffected by the proposed change. Therefore, deletion of the transmitter from the licence would be consistent with the above-mentioned commitment.
7. In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2015-24, the Commission described the importance of over-the-air transmission for Canadians who choose it as an inexpensive way to obtain programming. However, in this case, the Commission received no comments from Hudson’s Hope residents about the potential loss of the over-the-air signal and no related complaints outside this process.
8. Based on the above, the Commission approves the application by Bell Media Inc. to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language conventional television programming undertaking CJDC-TV Dawson Creek by deleting the analog rebroadcasting transmitter CJDC-TV-1 Hudson’s Hope.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Over-the-air transmission of television signals and local programming, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-24, 29 January 2015

• Astral broadcasting undertakings - Change of effective control, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-310, 27 June 2013

*This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Date modified:

2015-10-07