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Decision
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Ottawa, 6 April 1989
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Decision CRTC 89-142
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Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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Montreal, Alma, Ayer's Cliff, Baie Comeau, Blanc Sablon, Bolton East, Chandler, Chibougamau, Chicoutimi, Escuminac, Fort George (Chisasibi), Fort Rupert (Waskaganish), Gaspé, Harrington Harbour, Iles-de-la-Madeleine, La Tabatière, La Tuque, Malartic, Maniwaki, Murdochville, New Carlisle, New Richmond, Nouveau Comptoir (Wemindji), Old Fort Bay, Percé, Port Daniel, Poste-de-Mistassini, Rivière-Saint Paul, Rouyn-Noranda, Schefferville, Sept-Iles, Sherbrooke, Saint-Augustin (Saguenay), Sainte-Adèle, Thetford Mines, Trois-Rivières, Wakeham, Waswanipi, Quebec; Brochet, Poplar River and Shamattawa, Manitoba -881264600
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Following a Public Hearing in Montreal commencing 22 November 1988, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for CBMT Montreal and its rebroadcasting undertakings serving the locations mentioned above, from 1 September 1989 to 31 August 1994, subject to the conditions of licence specified in the appendix to this decision and in the licences to be issued.
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CBMT is the only CBC owned and operated station of the English-language television service in the province of Quebec. An estimated 97% of the anglophones residing in the province are served through CBMT's principal transmitting facility in Montreal, its rebroadcasters throughout the province and the English-language CBC affiliate CKMI-TV Quebec City. Station representatives estimated the English-speaking population in the province at approximately 800,000, of whom 80% are situated in the Montreal area. While CBMT places great importance on programming to the Montreal-based anglophone community and on reflecting Quebec to the rest of Canada, the station also strives to link together the smaller English-speaking communities located in the province. In this respect, station representatives noted that during the current licence term, CBMT has extended its coverage area to include the communities of Murdochville, Percé, Chandler, Baie-des-Chaleurs and Iles-de-la-Madeleine.
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CBMT representatives stated at the hearing that in its efforts to fulfill its regional mandate the station has, in the past year alone, featured more than 320 news stories from outside of the Montreal area and that, in view of the varied ethnic backgrounds of the province's English-speaking population, its supper-hour "Newswatch" program has featured over 200 stories of particular interest to Quebec's ethnic minorities.
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CBMT's news and information programming comprises all but half an hour of the 13 hours 30 minutes per week of original locally-produced programs to which the station is committed in its Promise of Performance. CBMT's current block schedule indicates daily early-and late-evening newscasts, the latter taking a regional approach. It also produces a weekly public affairs program entitled "People First" which examines the ethical and moral issues underlying local, regional and national news stories. In addition, Monday through Friday, CBMT offers "Good Morning", an hour-long information program of news, weather, sports and community events, followed by a four-minute "spiritual reflection" message and a nine-minute yoga exercise program.
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The Commission stresses the important role of local stations in the development and promotion of musical and other local talent and acknowledges that recent decreases in local production budgets have made it more difficult for CBC owned and operated stations to continue to provide regular musical and variety programming. In the case of CBMT, the station sustained reductions in this type of programming in particular when, between 1984 and 1987, it experienced the loss of 16 staff positions and approximately 35% of direct programming dollars. To offset these losses, CBMT has made a number of contributions to network arts and entertainment programs such as Adrienne Clarkson's "Summer Festival" and incorporated a new segment entitled "City Beat", which features short interviews and performances by a wide range of regional artists, in its supper-hour program.
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In terms of locally-produced drama, CBMT cited contributions of five half-hour episodes in the current licence term to the network anthology drama series "The Way We Are". In CBMT's application, the CBC admitted that this station is not producing an adequate amount of dramatic programming that reflects the cultural richness and diversity of the province of Quebec. The Commission notes the CBC's intention to rectify this situation and to make every effort to utilize the pool of experienced writers, actors and directors in Montreal and the extensive production facilities of the Maison de Radio-Canada, the CBC broadcast centre in Montreal. CBMT stated that its major initiative in this area over the new licence term is a proposal for a Montreal-based drama series which is presently under consideration by the network.
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The Commission notes that many of CBMT's co-operative efforts with CBFT and the French-language television network are centred on cultural productions since artistic events in Quebec often include performing talent from both the English-and French-language communities. A recent example of such co-operation is a special on the World Philharmonic Orchestra, which was produced by the French-language television network and which will be repackaged by CBMT and an independent producer for broadcast on the English network. CBMT also indicated that co-operation takes place with CBFT in the production of news and information programming with extensive sharing of information, resources and personnel.
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The Commission notes CBMT's past efforts of co-operative production with its French-language counterpart, and encourages the licensee to initiate and expand on such activity over the new licence term as a means of enhancing its local programming and promoting local and regional talent.
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The Commission notes that CBMT has co-operated with Quebec's independent production community, particularly in the production of drama and documentary programs. Two of the five episodes produced by CBMT for "The Way We Are" were undertaken with Montreal-based independent producers. Other co-production initiatives over the current licence term include two one-hour documentaries on anglophones in the province of Quebec, and a one-hour documentary on Turkish refugee claimants in Montreal. In the upcoming licence term, CBMT's application referred specifically to 10 network program proposals to be co-produced with independent producers, including a pilot for an opera, an animated Christmas special, a feature film script from a Montreal producer and a situation comedy.
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With respect to children's programming, the Commission notes CBMT's role as national co-ordinator for the Canadian version of "Sesame Street" and its frequent contributions to the program. In addition, CBMT co-operates with CBLT Toronto and CBOT Ottawa in the regional production of "Switchback", to which it contributed 50 inserts and two complete programs in the last broadcast year.
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In fulfilling its responsibility to convey the interests and concerns of Quebec to the rest of the country, CBMT representatives noted the station's contributions to such network programs as "Midday", "The Journal" and "The National". CBMT also regularly produces sports programming for national broadcast, including live coverage of the Montreal Canadiens and of the Expos, as well as occasional segments for CBC's "Sports Weekend".
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With respect to the CBC's regionalization plan, the Commission is concerned that the lack of diversity in the kind of network programming that CBMT provides, particularly its concentration on news and sports programming, does not fully reflect the reality of the Montreal community or of the province of Quebec. The Commission considers that this CBC station is uniquely situated, as the only CBC owned and operated station serving the English-speaking minority within the province, and that it also has an important function to play in interpreting the issues and concerns of the French-speaking population of this province to English Canadians. In addition, CBMT has a responsibility to reflect the considerable cultural talents and resources of the dynamic Montreal creative community to the rest of the country. Accordingly, the Commission encourages CBMT to develop such initiatives as the proposed Montreal-based dramatic series and expects the licensee to ensure that over the new licence term CBMT contributes to CBC English television network programming in categories other than sports.
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CBMT has committed to provide 13 hours 3 minutes per week of original local production over the new licence term. The Commission notes CBMT's commitments to continue to improve regional programs, to produce more current affairs items for insertion into its existing news and information programs, to seek production opportunities in categories other than news and information, to increase its co-operation with CBFT, and to produce at least five and half hours of special programming per year. The Commission expects the licensee to ensure that CBMT, at a minimum, achieves the level of local production set out in the Promise of Performance submitted as part of its licence renewal application.
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The Commission notes the CBC's intention to make available to each of its English-language regional television stations an additional 30 minutes per week of local programming in the evening, as referred to in the Public Notice introducing this and other renewal decisions released today. In this respect, CBMT has committed to produce a half-hour current affairs program in 1990/91 for broadcast in the evening broadcast period and a second half-hour sports program for broadcast outside of this time period depending on available funding. Should these changes result in a substantial variation in Schedule I of the Promise of Performance, CBMT should so advise the Commission.
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According to projections in its renewal application, CBMT has committed to spend $11,114,000 on Canadian programming in the first year of the new licence term, increasing to $13,313,000 in year five. The Commission notes that in accordance with percentage allocations for local productions filed by the licensee, these amounts are allocated for programs to be produced by CBMT itself and are exclusive of funds that may be secured from the network for the production of programs for network distribution, as well as funds the station may allocate for projects with the independent production community.
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The Commission notes CBMT's commitment to expend $5,000 in each year of the new licence term for script and concept development for dramatic programming. In this respect, the Commission refers the licensee to the program development expenditure criteria set out in the Public Notice introducing this and other television renewal decisions released today.
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CBMT has also committed to budget almost $1.3 million for various technical improvements, including the introduction of computerized graphics and the provision of an electronic field package edit suite and shooting unit.
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While CBMT's renewal application made no specific commitments to provide access to its programming for the hearing impaired, the Commission notes the CBC's plans with regard to its owned and operated stations, as discussed in the Public Notice introducing the decisions released today. In this respect, the Commission expects CBMT to acquire as soon as possible the necessary equipment to caption, at a minimum, headlines and appropriate scripted portions of its early evening newscasts during the new licence term.
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In renewing this licence, the Commission also authorizes CBMT to make use of the Vertical Blanking Interval. The Commission expects the licensee 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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The Commission also expects CBMT to acquire a telephone device for the deaf (TDD) during the first year of the new licence term and install it wherever it 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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CBMT's renewal application elicited three interventions. The CBMT Producers' Association (The Association) raised several concerns, including decreases in airtime for local productions in categories other than news and information and the lack of specific commitments for co-productions with the independent production sector in the province of Quebec. The Association also considered that CBMT had not fully assessed the programming needs of the English-speaking community in Quebec and encouraged CBMT to seize every opportunity to participate to the fullest extent in the network's Canadianization plans.
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In response, CBMT representatives requested the patience and understanding of the Association as the station makes adjustments in terms of its role and resources in accordance with the plan's requirements.
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Mr. Robert Duncan, a Montreal independent producer, filed an intervention opposing the renewal of CBMT stating that in the past two years, the station has failed to involve English-speaking Quebec writers, directors and actors in any ongoing programming. In reply, the CBC offered assurances that Canadianization will result in increased opportunities for local and regional independent producers. The Commission considers independent program producers to be a vital Canadian resource and encourages CBMT to continue its efforts to develop co-production activities at the local and regional level.
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A supporting intervention was submitted by the Quebec Region Religious Advisory Council.
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Having assessed CBMT's past accomplishments as reviewed at the Montreal hearing, notably the extent and quality of the station's news and information programming, and taking into account the licensee's commitments in respect of CBMT for the next five years, particularly its anticipated projects with the independent production community and its proposed local programming initiatives, the Commission is satisfied that CBMT's licence should be renewed for a full term.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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APPENDIX
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Conditions of licence for CBMT Montreal and its rebroadcasting undertakings CBJET-1 Alma, CBMT-7 Ayer's Cliff, CBMIT Baie Comeau, CBMST Blanc Sablon, CBMT-6 Bolton East, CBVB-TV Chandler, CBMCT Chibougamau, CBJET Chicoutimi, CBVA-TV Escuminac, CBMGT Fort George (Chisasibi), CBMHT Fort Rupert (Waskaganish), CBVG-TV Gaspé, CBMUT Harrington Harbour, CBMYT Iles-de-la-Madeleine, CBMLT La Tabatière, CBMET La Tuque, CBVD-TV Malartic, CBVU-TV Maniwaki, CBMMT Murdochville, CBVN-TV New Carlisle, CBVR-TV New Richmond, CBMNT Nouveau Comptoir (Wemindji), CBMVT Old Fort Bay, CBVP-TV Percé, CBVF-TV Port Daniel, CBMDT Poste-de-Mistassini, CBMPT Rivière-Saint-Paul, CBMA-TV Rouyn-Noranda, CBSET-1 Schefferville, CBSET Sept-Iles, CBMT-3 Sherbrooke, CBMXT Saint-Augustin (Saguenay), CBMT-5 Sainte-Adèle, CBMT-4 Thetford Mines, CBMT-1 Trois-Rivières, CBVH-TV Wakeham, CBVW-TV Waswanipi, Quebec; and CBOE-TV Brochet, CBDI-TV Poplar River and CBOG-TV Shamattawa, Manitoba
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1. The licensee shall adhere to the CBC guidelines on sex-role stereotyping, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission. Until such time as the Commission has approved the revised CBC guidelines, the CBC shall adhere to its current guidelines on sex-role stereotyping (as set out in Part C of Appendix A to Public Notice CRTC 1986-351 dated 22 December 1986) and, as a minimum, to the CAB's guidelines on sex-role stereotyping, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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2. The licensee shall adhere to the standards for children's advertising set out in the Corporation's Advertising Standards Policy C-5 dated 4 June 1986 and entitled "Advertising Directed to Children Under 12 Years of Age", as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission, provided that the policy meets as a minimum the standards set out in the CAB's The Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children, revised in January 1988, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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Further, the licensee shall not broadcast any commercial message during any child-directed programming or any child-directed commercial message between programs directed to children of pre-school age. For the purpose of this condition, programs directed to children and scheduled before 12:00 noon during school-day morning hours will be deemed to be programs directed to children of pre-school age.
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