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Decision
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Montréal, Quebec - 199607719
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Licence amendment for Canal D
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Following Public Notice CRTC 1996-145 dated 8 November 1996, the Commission approves the application by Premier Choix:TVEC inc., licensee of the French-language specialty programming undertaking known as Canal D, to amend its broadcasting licence in order to authorize the distribution of its service across Canada.
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This service was formerly a regional service authorized for distribution in Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic region.
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Accordingly, the Commission deletes the first paragraph of condition of licence no. 1 and substitutes the following therefor:
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1. (1) The licensee shall provide a national specialty service in the French language with at least 90% of its programming dedicated exclusively to programs drawn from the following categories as set out in Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990:
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Analysis and Interpretation (category 2);
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Music and dance other than a music video clip (category 8a);
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Variety (category 9); and
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Human Interest (category 11).
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Regarding the distribution that this service may now anticipate, the Commission would note that in Public Notice CRTC 1996-60 entitled "Access Rules for Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings", the Commission determined that "a broadcasting distribution undertaking to which the access rules apply should distribute, as a general rule, the services of all licensed specialty and pay television undertakings appropriate for its market, to the extent of available channel capacity."
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For direct-to-home (DTH) distribution undertakings, "services appropriate for the market" means all specialty and pay television services. Accordingly, as a result of the approval granted herein, Canal D should now be distributed by DTH undertakings across Canada.
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As for cable distribution undertakings, this service should be distributed by Class 1 undertakings operating in French-language markets.
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The Commission is of the view that the distribution of this service on a national basis will enhance the choice of French-language programming services that may be offered to Francophones outside Quebec.
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The Commission acknowledges the interventions in support of this application.
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This decision is to be appended to the licence.
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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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