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Public Notice
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Ottawa, 5 January 1984
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Public Notice CRTC 1984-2
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Pay Television Stereo Audio Signals on Cable Audio Service
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Since the implementation of Canadian pay television services in February 1983, several pay television licensees have been providing a stereo audio feed to their cable television affiliates who, in turn, proposed to distribute this signal on the cable audio service of their undertakings.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1983-23 dated 9 February 1983, the Commission stated that, since this stereo audio signal clearly constituted a new service, its distribution by cable television licensees would require the prior approval of the Commission.
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In the same notice, the Commission stated that it was currently reviewing the carriage of new audio services on cable as part of its Review of Radio, and that the distribution of pay stereo audio signals would be considered in the context of this review. It also invited comments from interested parties on the issues raised by the cable carriage of the pay stereo feed, particularly with respect to the fixed channel capacity of the cable audio service, the increasing demand for the use of such capacity and the suitability of the material to be distributed on a non-discretionary basis.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1983-23, the Commission stated that, in the interim, it was prepared to "deal expeditiously and on an exceptional basis, with requests it may receive from any of its licensees for permission to utilize the cable FM band for stereo broadcasts of musical programs requiring exceptional sound quality."
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The Commission received fourteen submissions in response to its Public Notice. Eleven were of the view that pay television stereo signals should be distributed on the cable audio service. The three others did not totally oppose such carriage but stated that the signals of local AM radio stations and the stereo signals of local and regional television stations, which are available off-air and free of charge to Canadian listeners, should have precedence over subscriber-supported services.
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The Commission has considered these views and has concluded that the stereo audio feed of Canadian pay television services should be authorized for carriage on the cable audio service. The Commission acknowledges the view that this will enhance the attractiveness of pay television to Canadian viewers, thereby increasing the number of its subscribers and the amount of funding available for the development of Canadian programs.
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Accordingly, in a separate decision to be released today, the Commission has approved a number of applications by cable television licensees for the carriage of the pay television stereo feed on their undertakings.
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Since the Commission expects to issue shortly a policy statement dealing with the priorities to be established for the cable distribution of audio services, its approval for the carriage of the pay television stereo audio feed is, therefore, granted on an interim basis for a period of one year so as not to prejudice the Commission's final determination in this regard.
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It is a condition of approval that the distribution of these signals not cause the removal of any Canadian service currently distributed on the cable audio service.
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J.G. Patenaude
Secretary General
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