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Ottawa, 22 January 1991
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Decision CRTC 91-57
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Vidéotron Ltée
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Part of Metropolitan Montréal, Quebec - 902682400
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Pursuant to Public Notice CRTC 1990-98 dated 25 October 1990, the Commission approves the application to amend the licence of the broadcasting receiving undertaking serving part of Metropolitan Montréal, to be relieved, by condition of licence, of the requirement under subparagraph 10(1)(g)(i) of the Cable Television Regulations, 1986 (the regulations), thereby allowing the licensee to add, at its option, the distribution of WETK-TV Burlington, Vermont, a second PBS network signal.
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The Commission notes that the licensee has ceased the distribution of CICO-TV-24 Ottawa (TVOntario) a non-mandatory service under subsection 9(3) of the regulations, and proposes to replace it with WETK-TV.
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The licensee's proposal to distribute more than one affiliate of a U.S. television network is contrary to the Commission's policy with respect to the distribution of U.S. networks. However, in view of the particular circumstances of this case, the Commission considers that an exception to its policy is justified. The Commission notes in particular that a significant portion of the population of the area concerned is English-speaking. Moreover, WETK-TV was distributed on the undertaking's basic service for twenty years prior to December 1989, and this educational service is very popular among subscribers.
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The Commission notes that, in Decision CRTC 90-795 dated 23 August 1990, it approved a similar application by CFCF Inc. which had also been distributing the signals of two affiliates of the same U.S. network on its Montréal undertaking for several years.
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The Commission received over 800 interventions with respect to this application. Some 700 interveners expressed support for the addition of WETK-TV Burlington, noting the quality of that station's programming and the fact that it complemented the programming of WCFE-TV (PBS) Plattsburgh, New York, which the licensee is currently distributing.
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Some 80 interveners opposed the application, citing in particular the deletion of the TVOntario signal from the programming schedule. In reply, the licensee indicated that, by deleting TVOntario, it would avoid paying the royalties associated with the rebroadcast of distant signals as required pursuant to the recent decision of the Copyright Board regarding royalty payments for the rebroadcast of distant signals.
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The Commission also notes the views of approximately 40 interveners who urged the licensee to ensure that subscribers are consulted prior to any change in the programming schedule.
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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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