ARCHIVED - Decision CRTC 2000-78
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Decision CRTC 2000-78 |
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| Ottawa, 20 March 2000 | |
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Cable VDN Inc. Montréal, Quebec – 199912069 |
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Application processed by Public Notice CRTC 1999-189 dated 24 November 1999 |
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| Addition of CITY-TV | |
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The Commission approves the application by Cable VDN Inc. (VDN) for authority to distribute CITY-TV Toronto, as part of a discretionary tier of the cable distribution undertaking serving Montréal. |
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In support of its application, VDN stated that CITY-TV is already distributed in Montréal by the direct-to-home (DTH) distribution undertakings operated by Star Choice Television Network Inc. and by ExpressVu Inc. |
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The Commission is satisfied that the distribution of CITY-TV is in line with the guidelines on the cable distribution of distant Canadian television signals as set out in Public Notice CRTC 1993-74. |
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The licensee may receive any authorized signals over the air, or from any licensed or exempted Canadian broadcasting distribution undertaking authorized to provide signals to other broadcasting distribution undertakings. The Commission notes that the licensee will receive the above-noted signal via satellite. |
| Interventions | |
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Global Television Network (Global), licensee of CKMI-TV Québec which has a transmitter at Montréal, and CF Television Inc. (CF), licensee of CFCF-TV Montréal, opposed the proposal. They argued that the fact that CITY-TV is available in Montréal from DTH services is not a valid reason to approve this application. The interveners also maintained that adding CITY-TV as part of VDN's service would not increase the diversity of television programming services obtainable in Montréal. It would, they claimed, further fragment audiences. CF contended that additional audience fragmentation would impede its ability to contribute financially to the Canadian broadcasting system. |
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Global argued that CITY-TV's programming is not relevant to Montréal residents. It also pointed out that the Commission's policy on the cable distribution of distant Canadian television signals is designed to extend services to under-served communities and to provide a wide range of viewing choices to communities across Canada that receive a limited number of Canadian services. |
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CTV Inc. supported the application on condition that carriage of CITY-TV does not result in the intervener's station, CJOH-TV, being placed on a higher channel. |
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VDN responded that its application conforms with the Commission's policy on the cable distribution of distant Canadian televison signals. Since CITY-TV will be distributed on a discretionary tier, fewer than 3,000 subscribers, or less than 1% of television households in the Montréal market, will receive CITY-TV. VDN added that CITY-TV's distinctively urban and "hip" orientation will appeal to Montréal audiences. The applicant also claimed that the many personal and business relationships existing between Toronto and Montréal make the station relevant to Montréal viewers. |
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VDN also confirmed that it will not change its channel alignment if it is allowed to distribute CITY-TV. CJOH-TV will remain on channel 40. |
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The Commission is satisfied with VDN's response and considers that approval of this application should have minimal impact on the Montréal market. |
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Secretary General
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This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be viewed at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca
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