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Decision
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Ottawa, 6 April 1989
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Decision CRTC 89-131
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CFCN Communications Limited
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Lethbridge, Burmis and Medicine Hat, Alberta; Cranbrook, Fernie, Sparwood, Moyie and Invermere, British Columbia -881047500 -882998800 -882999600
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Following a Public Hearing in Edmonton on 14 November 1988 and pursuant to Public Notice CRTC 1988-191 dated 21 November 1988, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for CFCN-TV-5 Lethbridge and its rebroadcasters serving the other communities noted above 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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CFCN Communications Limited (CFCN Communications) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maclean-Hunter Limited and is also the licensee of CFCN-TV Calgary as well as a number of other television and FM and AM radio undertakings located in Alberta and British Columbia.
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CFCN-TV-5 for the most part rebroadcasts programming originating from CFCN-TV Calgary, which is affiliated with the CTV Television Network. The licensee committed to broadcast on CFCN-TV-5, during the new licence term, 5 hours 45 minutes per week of locally-produced news and information programming. In this regard, the Commission notes that the station's current program schedule includes evening newscasts, the community-oriented program "For Your Information" and the half-hour weekday program "Mornings with Elisha". The Commission expects CFCN-TV-5 to broadcast, at a minimum throughout the new licence term, the amount of original local production set out in its Promise of Performance.
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According to the financial projections provided with its renewal application, CFCN Communications will spend $487,000 on Canadian programming for CFCN-TV-5 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 CFCN Communications to invest a minimum of $487,000 on Canadian programming expenditures for CFCN-TV-5 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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In renewing these licences, the Commission also authorizes CFCN Communications to make use of the Vertical Blanking Interval. The Commission expects CFCN Communications 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 the licensee currently provides 312 hours of acquired captioned programming per year. The Commission encourages CFCN Communications to continue its efforts in this regard and, at 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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It also expects CFCN-TV-5, 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 also received 34 supporting interventions from community-oriented organizations, the majority of which expressed satisfaction with CFCN-TV-5's coverage and reporting of local issues and events.
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With respect to CFCN-TV-9 Cranbrook, the Department of Communications has advised the Commission that it is prepared to renew the Technical Construction and Operating Certificate for a period of twelve months only, expiring 31 August 1990. With respect to the operation of this undertaking beyond this period, the Commission draws the licensee's attention to paragraph 13(1)(b) of the Broadcasting Act pertaining to the technical certification of broadcasting undertakings and to subsection 13(2) which provides that any broadcasting licence issued, amended or renewed in contravention of section 13 is of no force or effect.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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APPENDIX
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Conditions of licence for CFCN-TV-5 Lethbridge and its rebroadcasters CFCN-TV-4 Burmis, CFCN-TV-8 Medicine Hat, CFCN-TV-9 Cranbrook, CFCN-TV-10 Fernie, CFCN-TV-11 Sparwood, CFCN-TV-12 Moyie, CFCN-TV-15 and CFWL-TV-1 Invermere
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1. The licensee shall operate this broadcasting undertaking as part of the CTV Television Network.
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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 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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