ARCHIVED - Decision CRTC 2001-457-13

Decision CRTC 2001-457-13

See also: 2001-457, 2001-457-1, 2001-457-2,  2001-457-2-1, 2001-457-3, 2001-457-3-1, 2001-457-4, 2001-457-4-1, 2001-457-5, 2001-457-6, 2001-457-6-1, 2001-457-7, 2001-457-7-1, 2001-457-8, 2001-457-8-1, 2001-457-9, 2001-457-9-1, 2001-457-10, 2001-457-10-1, 2001-457-11, 2001-457-11-1, 2001-457-12

Ottawa, 2 August 2001

CTV Television Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia 2000-2268-2

17 April 2001 Public Hearing
National Capital Region

Licence renewal for CIVT-TV

The Commission renews the licence for the television programming undertaking CIVT-TV Vancouver. The licence will be subject to the terms, conditions of licence, commitments and expectations set out below, as well as to those contained in Decision CRTC 2001-457.

This is the first licence renewal for CIVT-TV Vancouver, a station that was licensed in Decision CRTC 97-39, after a competitive process for a new, independent Vancouver television station. Effective 1 September 2001, CIVT-TV will no longer operate as an independent station, but will instead carry the programming of CTV's national system. On the same date, due to a change of ownership from CTV to CanWest Global, the CTV programming currently carried on CHAN-TV Vancouver, CHEK-TV Victoria and on their respective rebroadcasting transmitters in British Columbia will cease on those stations.

The change from independent programming on CIVT-TV to that of the CTV national system is the subject of a related decision also published today (Decision CRTC 2001-459). In that decision, the Commission authorizes certain cable distributors in British Columbia to distribute CIVT-TV as a distant Canadian signal, thus providing their subscribers continued access to CTV programming once CHAN-TV ceases to broadcast CTV programming on 1 September 2001.

As set out in conditions of licence below, CTV must "cover over" non-national advertising in the CIVT-TV signal distributed to the B.C. interior, with program promotions or public service announcements.

Independent production

In Decision CRTC 97-39, the Commission noted that a determining factor in deciding to award the licence to CIVT-TV was the applicant's commitment to the independent production community in B.C. The Commission stated at that time that the licensing of CIVT-TV "will have the greatest possible positive impact on the Canadian independent production industry, particularly in British Columbia". Through its development and licensing activities, the Commission notes that CTV has made a significant contribution to the development and continued health of the independent production industry in B.C. The Commission notes in particular the introduction of two new, national talk shows, including the first daily, English-language national program to originate outside of Toronto.

At the hearing, CTV confirmed that it intended to meet a key commitment related to spending on independently-produced Canadian programming that had been made in the context of the original application for CIVT-TV's licence. This commitment was to spend over seven years (through to 2004), more than $53 million on programming in categories 7, 8 and 9 from independent producers, including $26.5 million for programming from the B.C. community, over $28 million to B.C. producers for children's, drama and documentary programming, and $1.8 million over seven years on children's programming. The Commission expects the licensee to fulfil these commitments.

Storefront bureaus

In its original application for the new licence, CIVT-TV made a commitment to establish six storefront community bureaus, including one in Victoria. However, in its licence renewal application, the licensee indicated that five of the bureaus were subsequently closed due to staffing and budget constraints. The Victoria bureau remains in operation.

At the hearing, however, the licensee reported that it had recently reopened two bureaus, one in North Vancouver and one in Surrey. It further indicated that, in view of its new affiliation with the CTV national system and the related expansion of its news and public affairs department, it was considering the addition of another news bureau in the Richmond, Delta or White Rock area.

The Commission notes that the licensee's commitment to establish six storefront bureaus was made in the context of a competitive process for a new television station. In light of the importance of this commitment, CIVT-TV's plans to offer the CTV programming schedule, and its stated emphasis on news and public affairs, the Commission expects the licensee to fulfil its original commitment with respect to the establishment of six storefront news bureaus.

The Storytellers

As part of its original application for the new licence, the licensee made a commitment to commission the production of The Storytellers, a series consisting of 20 half-hour dramas by new independent producers in British Columbia. Ten episodes of the series have been produced but CIVT-TV indicated that it did not intend to extend The Storytellers into the new licence term since it is committed to airing eight hours of priority programming per week.

The Commission notes that the intent of this initiative, made in the context of the licensing of CIVT-TV, was to support new independent producers in British Columbia. The Commission does not agree that the obligation to broadcast eight hours per week of priority programming replaces this commitment. However, programs provided to fulfil this obligation may also be used to meet the requirement for priority programming. The Commission therefore expects the licensee to produce the remaining ten half-hour episodes of The Storytellers.

Reports

The Commission expects the licensee to submit a detailed report at the end of the seven-year period for which it made the commitments set out in Decision 97-39, that is, at the end of 2004, setting out the details and expenditure allocations related to the initiatives described above.

The Commission also notes the licensee's commitment to spend $200,000 annually through its western program development office for script and development funds to independent producers.

The Commission also notes the licensee's commitment to broadcast on CIVT-TV a minimum level of local programming of 15.5 hours in each broadcast week.

Terms

The licence will be in effect from 1 September 2001 to 31 August 2008.

The Commission notes that this licensee is subject to the Employment Equity Act and therefore files reports concerning employment equity with Human Resources Development Canada.

Conditions of licence

In each broadcast year, the licensee shall caption 90% of all programming during the broadcast day, including 100% of all category 1 - News programming.

In addition to the requirements of condition of licence number 7 set out in Appendix 2 to Decision CRTC 2001-457, the licensee shall broadcast in the second year of the licence term an average of 2 hours per week of described Canadian priority programs from categories 7 (Drama) and 2b (Long-form documentary), between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m.

In fulfilling this condition, a minimum of 50% of the required hours must be original broadcasts. Further, the licensee may broadcast up to one hour per week of described children's programming at an appropriate viewing time for children.

The licensee shall alter, at its own expense, the signal of CIVT-TV that it provides to the licensees of the cable distribution undertakings serving Terrace, Kamloops, Kelowna, Prince George and Dawson Creek, or their successors, by covering over those commercials that are not carried on all conventional television undertakings owned or controlled by CTV Television Inc. with program promotions and/or public service announcements.

The licensee shall permit the licensees of television stations CFJC-TV Kamloops, CKPG-TV Prince George, CJDC-TV Dawson Creek and CFTK-TV Terrace to cover over, at their expense, the above noted program promotions and public service announcements with commercials sold by these four local television stations, provided that the licensees of the cable distribution undertakings serving the four communities concerned have received the necessary regulatory permission to alter the CIVT-TV signal.

Secretary General