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Public Notice
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Ottawa, 12 June 1990
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Public Notice CRTC 1990-61
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LISTS OF ELIGIBLE SATELLITE SERVICES
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- REQUEST FOR COMMENTS
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Cable licensees are authorized by the Commission to distribute satellite services set out in lists of eligible satellite services. Licensees holding a Class 1 or Class 2 cable licence may distribute any service included on the list of Part II Eligible Satellite Services, in accordance with the distribution and linkage requirements set out in Public Notice CRTC 1987-261 dated 30 November 1987. This public notice stipulates that the services listed in Section "A" may be packaged with Canadian pay or specialty services, while the services found in Section "B" must be packaged with a Canadian pay television service. Part III licensees may distribute services included on the lists of Part III Eligible Satellite Services with no restrictions.
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The Commission has received several requests to amend the lists of eligible satellite services. The Commission considers that it is appropriate to provide an opportunity for public comment on these proposed amendments in order to ensure that all relevant information is available to the Commission.
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Therefore, the Commission invites comments on a number of proposed amendments to the lists, concerning the services listed below.
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1.Black Entertainment Television
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Black Entertainment Television (BET) is currently on the Commission's list of Part III Eligible Non-Canadian Satellite Services. BET's programming service is directed primarily to black Americans.
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The Commission has received a representation requesting that BET be added to the list of Part II Eligible Satellite Services.
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2. Consumer News and Business Channel
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Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) is a 24-hour satellite service originating in the United States which provides business information on issues concerning government, industry and market activities. In the evening, CNBC offers a number of programs which deal with consumer issues in interview, live phone-in and panel discussion formats.
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The Commission has received a representation requesting that CNBC be added to Section "A" of the list of Part II Eligible Satellite Services and to the list of Part III Eligible Non-Canadian Satellite Services.
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3. USA Network/WSBK Boston
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At this time, USA Network is included in Section "B" of the list of Part II Eligible Satellite Services. First Choice Canadian Communications Inc. (First Choice) informed the Commission that both First Choice and the USA Network have recently purchased the distribution rights to a number of the same films. First Choice is concerned that, because of these recent film purchases, the programming service provided by USA Network has become competitive with that of its service, and therefore requested that the USA Network be removed from Section "B" of the list of Part II Eligible Satellite Services and be replaced with the service of WSBK Boston. WSBK's programming consists of classic movies, sports, children's programming and syndicated series.
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4. FNN:SCORE/FNN:Sports
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The current lists of Part II and Part III Eligible Satellite Services stipulate that the authorization to distribute the Financial News Network (FNN) "does not include the programming of SCORE". FNN's SCORE service provided sports programming. The Commission imposed this restriction on the grounds that this programming might be competitive with the programming of The Sports Network (TSN).
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It has come to the Commission's attention that FNN has replaced the SCORE programming with a weekend sports news and information service "FNN:Sports". The Commission therefore considers that it may be necessary to amend the restriction, replacing FNN:SCORE with FNN:Sports.
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5. CFJP-TV
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The Commission has, in the past, authorized the carriage of CFJP-TV (Quatre Saisons) on a case by case basis. In order to reduce the administrative delay associated with this process, the Commission is proposing that CFJP-TV be added to Section "A" of the list of Part II Eligible Satellite Services and to the list of Part III Eligible Canadian Satellite Services.
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COMMENTS
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Comments should be addressed to Rosemary Chisholm, Acting Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2 and should be received no later than 11 July 1990.
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Rosemary Chisholm
Acting Secretary General
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