ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 95-607

Decision

Ottawa, 25 August 1995

Decision CRTC 95-607

Westcom TV Group Ltd.

Red Deer and Coronation, Alberta - 940974900

Licence renewal for CKRD-TV and its transmitter CKRD-TV-1

Following a Public Hearing held in Winnipeg beginning on 5 June 1995, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence for the television programming undertaking consisting of CKRD-TV Red Deer and its transmitter, CKRD-TV-1 Coronation, from 1 September 1995 to 31 August 2002, subject to the conditions in effect under the current licence as well as to those conditions specified in the appendix to this decision and in the licence to be issued.

Westcom TV Group Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of WIC Western International Communications Ltd. (WIC). The ultimate control of the licensee rests with Western Broadcasting Company Ltd. which, in turn, is controlled by Frank A. Griffiths through a voting trust agreement.

CKRD-TV is an affiliate of the English-language television network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Local reflection

On 24 March 1995, the Commission issued Public Notice CRTC 1995-48 in conjunction with the release of decisions renewing the licences of privately-owned, English-language television stations in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. In that public notice, the Commission reiterated the importance of the principle of local reflection and reminded television licensees that they have a special responsibility to serve the public within the particular geographic areas they are licenced to serve.

(i) News programming

During the current licence term, the licensee surpassed its commitment to broadcast an average of 5 hours 40 minutes of original, local news weekly. According to the Commission's analysis of CKRD-TV's program logs, the station broadcast an average of 6 hours 30 minutes of original, local news each week in the 1991-1992 broadcast year, and an average of 6 hours 24 minutes each week in 1992-1993. In the 1993-1994 broadcast year, CKRD-TV broadcast an average of 5 hours 55 minutes of original, local news each week.

For the new licence term, the Commission expects the licensee to adhere to the commitment made in its renewal application to broadcast, at a minimum, an average of 5 hours 55 minutes of original, local news each week.

The Commission notes that "NewsCrew", CKRD-TV's local newscast broadcast at 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, received the 1993 gold CANPRO award as well the 1993 gold Radio and Television News Directors Award for the best newscast in Canada.

In Decision CRTC 89-121 dated 6 April 1989 approving the ownership transaction by which Allarcom Limited acquired the assets of CKRD-TV and CKRD-TV-1 from Monarch Broadcasting Ltd., the Commission set out the expectation that the licensee provide a local news presence on the weekend during the current licence term. In August 1993, CKRD-TV began broadcasting local news between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

As benefits of the ownership transaction approved in Decision CRTC 91-80 dated 6 February 1991 by which WIC acquired the assets of CKRD-TV and CKRD-TV-1 from Allarcom Limited, the licensee promised to expand co-operative program production, among CKRD-TV and other WIC stations and to provide a microwave link for the distribution of programming among these stations. During the current licence term, the licensee implemented this interactivity. As a result, CKRD-TV now receives news stories from other WIC stations, and CKRD-TV contributes news stories regularly to WIC's national news program "Canada Tonight".

As part of the benefits package promised as part of the ownership transaction approved in Decision CRTC 91-80, WIC, on behalf of CKRD-TV, will continue to spend $200,000 on Canadian programming in the 1994-1995 broadcast year, and $200,000 in 1995-1996. WIC will also continue to contribute $374,000 over five years to Independent Satellite News.

(ii) Other local programming

For over twenty years, CKRD-TV has produced "This Business of Farming", a series which provides extensive coverage of Alberta's agricultural industry. In February 1990, the licensee increased the program from a 30-minute show broadcast once a week to three hours a week of original programming. The licensee will continue to produce this series during the new licence term and will air the programs weekdays at 7:00 a.m., and on Sundays at 5:00 p.m.

During the new licence term, the licensee will continue to produce and broadcast "Toon Crew", a locally-produced vignette designed to provide information about the community of Red Deer and surrounding area in an educational and entertaining format, targeted to children. The licensee currently broadcasts a minimum of five original segments of "Toon Crew" weekly during its children's programming.

In the fall of 1994, the licensee broadcast "Makin' 8", a series which covered a variety of rodeos in central Alberta. The series concluded with a one-hour special from Edmonton on the Canadian Rodeo finals. The Commission encourages the licensee to schedule, in prime time, a local, 13-part series during the new licence term.

The Commission also encourages the licensee to continue scheduling in prime time a 30-minute special each month during the new licence term. The Commission notes that in the fall of 1995, CKRD-TV will broadcast "Alberta Open Line", a prime-time special featuring discussions and interviews on current issues affecting Albertans.

Over the past three years, CKRD-TV has been involved in the co-production of "Inside Trax" and "Outwest" with its sister stations CHBC-TV Kelowna and CISA-TV Lethbridge. The Commission encourages the licensee to continue to develop co-production activities with other WIC stations during the new licence term.

Expenditures on Canadian programming

The Commission expects the licensee to expend, in the first year of the new licence term, at a minimum, the amount it was expected to expend in the 1994-1995 broadcast year. In each subsequent year of the licence term, the Commission expects the licensee's Canadian programming expenditures to be adjusted in accordance with the Commission's prescribed formula.

Service to the deaf and hard of hearing

Consistent with its policy approach for closed captioning announced in Public Notice CRTC 1995-48, the Commission expects the licensee, by the end of the new licence term, to caption all local news programming, including live segments, using either real-time captioning or another method capable of captioning live programming.

The Commission also expects the licensee to close caption at least 90% of all programming during the broadcast day by the end of the new licence term.

Employment equity

In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. The Commission recognizes the licensee's involvement in various employment equity initiatives including its support of women and visible minorities in broadcasting. Nevertheless, the Commission considers that the licensee could increase its efforts in relation to persons with disabilities and Aboriginal Peoples.

Interventions

The Commission acknowledges the 12 interventions submitted in support of CKRD-TV's licence renewal. The Commission also acknowledges two opposing interventions and is satisfied with the licensee's response thereto.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General

APPENDIX/ANNEXE

Conditions of licence for CKRD-TV Red Deer and its transmitter, CKRD-TV-1 Coronation

1. The licensee shall operate this broadcasting undertaking as an affiliate of the English-language television network operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

2. The licensee shall adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) "Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC).

3. The licensee shall adhere to the guidelines on the depiction of violence in television programming set out in the CAB's "Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the CBSC.

4. The licensee shall adhere to the provisions of the CAB's "Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission.