ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 95-852

Decision

Ottawa, 24 November 1995

Decision CRTC 95-852

Praise Life Television Ministries Inc.

Steinbach, Manitoba - 931472500

Proposed Over-the-Air Television Station Devoted to Religious Programming - Denied

Following a Public Hearing in Winnipeg beginning on 5 June 1995, the Commission denies the application by Praise Life Television Ministries Inc. (Praise Life) for a broadcasting licence to carry on an English-language television programming undertaking at Steinbach, operating on channel 30 with a transmitter power of 100 watts to broadcast religious programming from local studios and other Canadian sources as well as programming originating from foreign sources.

In further decisions issued today, the Commission has denied six other applications for licences to carry on new religious, over-the-air television programming undertakings at various locations in western Canada. Today's decisions are accompanied by an introductory public notice, which provides a summary of the Commission's religious broadcasting policy and its background, and highlights certain of the concerns common to many of the applications considered at the Winnipeg Public Hearing (see Public Notice CRTC 1995-198).

Balance

The Broadcasting Act (the Act) specifies that programming offered by the Canadian broadcasting system should provide a reasonable opportunity for the public to be exposed to the expression of differing views on matters of public concern. The Commission generally expects that, in order to ensure the provision of balance, licensees of over-the-air undertakings devoted to religious programming should, in particular, expose the audience to different points of view on religion. The Commission generally takes the view that balance will be achieved where a reasonably consistent viewer or listener is exposed to a spectrum of views on issues of public concern within a reasonable period of time.

The Commission has carefully examined the applicant's plans for balance programming to be broadcast on the proposed undertaking. Praise Life made a commitment to broadcast a total of 14 hours per week of alternative viewpoint programming, including four hours during the evening broadcast period. The proposed total included a daily half-hour program featuring interviews with guests from other denominations, or documentaries, followed by a half-hour open line segment, as well as a total of seven hours per week of programming produced by other local faith groups.

While Praise Life has included programming time in its proposed schedule for the purpose of providing balance, it did not provide adequate documentary evidence of commitments by other faith groups to participate in the proposed programs. Moreover, although the applicant offered a commitment to provide balance by other means, the applicant provided no clear alternatives or detailed plans to demonstrate how it would meet this commitment in the event that other faith groups were not able or willing to provide such programming. Accordingly, the Commission considers that Praise Life failed to substantiate its general proposals with concrete and viable programming plans.

In addition to the provision of balance programming, the Commission expects applicants for licences to carry on single-faith broadcasting undertakings to demonstrate, in detail, how the adequacy of its balance programming would be monitored, and what corrective action would be taken by the applicant, if balance is not being achieved. While the applicant proposed to establish a committee to oversee the station's performance, the applicant provided few details, beyond the general framework in its Policy Manual, of plans for the actual monitoring process, or for the corrective action that would be taken in the event that balance was not being achieved.

For the reasons noted above, the Commission considers that the applicant has not demonstrated that it would be able to meet its commitments to achieve and maintain the level of balance programming proposed in its application.

Ethics

The Commission expects licensees to ensure that all religious programming broadcast on their respective undertakings complies with the guidelines on ethics set out in Public Notice CRTC 1993-78.

The applicant's proposals to ensure compliance with the guidelines on ethics include a commitment to ensure that any Canadian faith group providing programming to the proposed station signs an agreement with Praise Life to abide by the Commission's guidelines on ethics. At the hearing, however, Praise Life stated that it does not believe that Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), an American supplier of religious programming and proposed source of approximately 45% of the applicant's weekly program schedule, would agree to abide by the Commission's guidelines. The applicant added, however, that all such programming would be previewed to ensure compliance with the guidelines. Should a problem arise with a particular foreign-produced program, the applicant's plans called for its substitution by a previously-cleared program. Nevertheless, the Commission is concerned that the applicant's program schedule is highly dependant upon a program supplier that the applicant does not expect will commit to the guidelines.

The Commission notes that, while the applicant's proposal to preview all foreign programming is an acceptable monitoring mechanism, it would be extremely time-consuming. The applicant has not satisfied the Commission that it would be in a position to implement this monitoring mechanism and that it has adequate procedures in place for the correction of any problems with Canadian-produced programming.

In the absence of clear and effective plans for the monitoring and enforcement of the guidelines on ethics for all programming to be broadcast, the Commission is not convinced that Praise Life has demonstrated that adequate measures to ensure compliance with the guidelines have been formulated.

Financing

The financial projections filed by Praise Life with its application identified donations as the only source of revenue for the proposed undertaking. At the hearing, however, the applicant stated that its revenue projections were based entirely on brokered time sales and that no donation revenue was included. In information submitted to the Commission following the hearing, the applicant indicated that its revenue sources could be broken down as follows: 70% donations, 12% brokered time sales, 10% sale of religious products and 8% production fees.

In the Commission's view, these inconsistencies raise concerns regarding the adequacy of the applicant's planning and preparation and place further in doubt the ability of Praise Life to meet its commitments, particularly with respect to the provision of balance programming on a consistent, long-term basis.

Conclusion

In view of all of the foregoing, the Commission is not satisfied that approval of this application would serve the objectives of the Act and, accordingly, has denied it.

The Commission acknowledges the interventions submitted both in support of and in opposition to this application. The Commission also acknowledges the applicant's responses to the opposing interventions.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General