ARCHIVED -  Public Notice CRTC 1997-50

Public Notice

Ottawa, 2 May 1997

Public Notice CRTC 1997-50

LINKAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR DIRECT-TO-HOME (DTH) SATELLITE DISTRIBUTION UNDERTAKINGS

General

1.  This public notice sets out the rules concerning the linkage of programming services distributed on a discretionary basis by licensees holding a DTH satellite distribution undertaking licence (DTH licensee). As part of the regulatory changes announced in Public Notice CRTC 1997-25 dated 11 March 1997, and titled "New Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings", it is the Commission's intention to incorporate these requirements by reference into the proposed Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, which the Commission will publish for comment later this year. The requirements set out below are intended to reflect those contained in existing conditions of licence of DTH licensees; to the extent that the requirements depart from any particular condition of licence, the condition of licence will prevail.

2.  Attached to this public notice is the list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services, which the Commission intends to publish shortly as Appendix C to the revised Lists of Eligible Satellite Services (the Lists). The list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services will be included as part of the Lists for purposes of administrative convenience, and reflects the conditions set out in the licences of existing DTH licensees.

Linkage Requirements with Respect to Programming Services Distributed as Discretionary Services

3.  The non-Canadian satellite services specified in the list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services may only be offered in a discretionary package with Canadian pay television and/or Canadian specialty services, and are subject to the following linkage requirements:

a)  a Canadian pay television service (excluding the service of a Canadian DTH pay-per-view television programming undertaking) may be linked in a given discretionary package with no more than five channels containing any of the non-Canadian-originated services specified in either Section A or Section B of the list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services, but in no case can a licensee distribute more than five channels of non-Canadian programming services linked with Canadian pay television services, regardless of the number of Canadian pay television services distributed by the licensee;

b) i)  each Canadian specialty service, distributed within a discretionary package that may include one or more Canadian specialty and/or pay television services, may be linked with no more than one channel containing any of the non-Canadian programming services specified in Section A of the list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services;

ii)  a DTH licensee may designate one of the U.S. superstations specified in Section B of the list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services, and distribute the signal of that superstation within a given discretionary package that may include one or more Canadian specialty and/or pay television services;

iii)  a DTH licensee is not permitted to link services on the list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services with a Canadian specialty service distributed on the basic service; and

c)  a DTH licensee is not permitted to offer a package of services containing only non-Canadian services.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General

This document is available in alternative format upon request.

LIST OF DTH ELIGIBLE SATELLITE SERVICES/
SERVICES PAR SATELLITE ADMISSIBLES DISTRIBUÉS PAR SRD

 A) Cable News Network (CNN)
 Headline News (CNN-2)
 The Nashville Network (TNN)
 The Arts and Entertainment Network (A&E)
 CNBC/FNN*
 The Weather Channel (TWC)
 Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-Span)
 The Silent Network (Kaleidoscope)
 The Learning Channel

*  Pursuant to CRTC Circular Letter No. 377 dated 5 June 1991, licensees are authorized to distribute only the 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (ET) Monday to Friday programming component of CNBC/FNN.

 B) WTBS Atlanta**
 WGN-TV Chicago**
 WWOR-TV New York City**
 WPIX New York City**
 WSBK-TV Boston**
 KTLA Los Angeles**
 Black Entertainment Television (BET)
 Lifetime Television
 Comedy Central

 ** U.S. Superstation/Superstation américaine

Authorization for the above-noted services is subject to the following:

-  When this list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services is replaced by another list of DTH Eligible Satellite Services, the only authorized services will be those contained in the most recent list.

Licensees are required to enter into the necessary contractual arrangements for carriage of U.S. satellite services.

Date of issue: 2 May 1997