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Decision
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Ottawa, 6 April 1989
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Decision CRTC 89-109
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Okanagan Skeena Group Limited
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Terrace and Prince Rupert, British Columbia - 881077200
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Following a Public Hearing in Vancouver on 25 October 1988, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for CFTK-TV Terrace and its rebroadcasting undertaking at Prince Rupert from 1 September 1989 to 31 August 1994, subject to the conditions specified in the appendix to this decision and in the licences to be issued.
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Okanagan Skeena Group Limited (Okanagan Skeena) is a publicly traded company wherein no clear-cut control is exercised.
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CFTK-TV is affiliated with the CBC English-language television network. The licensee has committed to broadcast during the new licence term, 6 hours 50 minutes per week of locally-produced programming on CFTK-TV. In this regard, the Commission notes that the station's current program schedule includes an hour-long weekday news program and the weekly news magazine entitled "Skeena Journal". The Commission commends CFTK-TV for its local public affairs and dramatic productions, in particular "Northwest Playhouse". It expects Okanagan Skeena to broadcast, at a minimum throughout the new licence term, the weekly amount of original local productions set out in its Promise of Performance.
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CFTK-TV has indicated that during each year of the licence term, it intends to produce as a minimum, two sixty-minute dramas or a two-hour made-for-television movie to be undertaken in co-operation with other broadcasters; a sixty-minute documentary special; a 13-part variety series featuring musical talent from British Columbia ("B.C. Music Project") also to be undertaken as a co-operative venture; and 39 original half hours of human-interest programming. The Commission encourages the licensee to pursue such initiatives throughout the new licence term.
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According to the financial projections provided with its renewal application, Okanagan Skeena will spend $466,500 on Canadian programming for CFTK-TV in the first year of the new licence term.
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In considering applications for licence renewal, the Commission needs to be assured that applicants will bring about clear improvements to the service they provide, taking into account their financial resources. As specified in the Public Notice introducing this and other television renewal decisions released today, inasmuch as the total advertising revenue of this station in 1987/88 was less than $10 million, the Commission will expect Okanagan Skeena to invest a minimum of $466,500 on Canadian programming expenditures for CFTK-TV for the year ending 31 August 1990, and to adjust such expenditures in subsequent years in accordance with the prescribed formula linked to the station's advertising revenues. The Commission is satisfied that this approach offers a reasonable and fair means of ensuring that the Canadian programming expenditures of each station keep pace with changes in its annual revenue.
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With respect to program development, CFTK-TV will spend $5,500 in the first year of the new licence term and amounts ranging between $5,500 and $6,700 in the remaining years of the new licence term for the development of drama, children's, musical, and documentary programs. In this regard, the Commission refers the licensee to the guidelines for program development set out in the Public Notice introducing this and other renewal decisions.
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The Commission notes CFTK-TV has co-operated with the Northern Native Broadcasting Society on several occasions during the current licence term by providing personnel, mobile technical facilities and post-production services. Further, it notes that CFTK-TV broadcasts a documentary program produced by the Northern Native Broadcasting Society. The Commission encourages the licensee to pursue such initiatives during the next licence term.
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In renewing these licences, the Commission also authorizes Okanagan Skeena to make use of the Vertical Blanking Interval. The Commission expects Okanagan Skeena to adhere to the guidelines set out in Appendix A to Public Notice CRTC 1989-23 dated 23 March 1989 entitled "Services Using the Vertical Blanking Interval (Television) or Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (FM)".
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With respect to the provision of closed captioning for the deaf and hearing impaired, the Commission notes that CFTK-TV committed to provide a minimum of 520 hours of network-originated and station-acquired captioned programming in the first year of the new licence term, increasing to 650 hours in year five. For this purpose, it has allocated annual sums ranging from $2,750 to $8,250, which represent the incremental costs of acquiring captioned versions of programs. The Commission encourages Okanagan Skeena to implement its plans in this regard and, as a minimum, to provide its deaf and hearing-impaired viewers with access to local news headlines through captions (open or closed) or signing during the new licence term.
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The Commission also expects CFTK-TV, during the first year of the new licence term, to acquire a telephone device for the deaf (TDD) and install it wherever is most appropriate, such as in the master control room, to ensure access to the station by deaf and hearing-impaired viewers over the entire broadcast day.
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An intervention which was received from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) expressing concerns about the mandate of CBC regional stations, is addressed in the Public Notice released today introducing this and other renewal decisions.
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The Commission acknowledges the intervention from the Canadian Association of Broadcasters expressing support for the community service role of this local broadcaster and commenting on its contributions to the objectives of the Broadcasting Act.
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Interventions were also received from Ms. Maureen Bostock on behalf of the Usk Community Association, Mrs. Joan Smith of Kitimat and Ms. Julia Fortin of François Lake commenting on various aspects of the station's programming. The Commission has reviewed the licensee's replies and considers that it has responded satisfactorily to the interveners' concerns.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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APPENDIX
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Conditions of licence for CFTK-TV Terrace and its rebroadcaster CFTK-TV-1 Prince Rupert
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1. The licensee shall operate this broadcasting undertaking as part of the English-language television network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
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2. The licensee shall adhere to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' self-regulatory guidelines on sex-role stereotyping, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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3. The licensee shall adhere to the provisions of The Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children published by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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