ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2002-5

Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2002-5

Ottawa, 26 March 2002

Reconsideration of Decision CRTC 2001-757

The Commission will reconsider Decision CRTC 2001-757as required by Order-in-Council P.C. 2002-330 dated 13 March 2002. This hearing will commence immediately after the completion of the public hearing announced in Broadcasting Notices of Public Hearing CRTC 2002-2 and 2002-2-1, commencing on 6 May 2002 at 9:30 a.m., at the Conference Centre, Portage IV, 140 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Quebec.

1.

Across Canada
Application No. 2000-2155-1

Application by WORLD TELEVISION NETWORK/LE RESEAU TELEMONDE INC. (WTM) for a licence to carry on national specialty television services dedicated to providing news, public affairs, film and entertainment programming from around the world.

The applicant is proposing 2 separate services, one in English and one in French. WTM is requesting that:

· in Quebec, the French-language service be operated on a modified dual status basis, and the English-language service as a mandatory digital service;

· for the rest of Canada, the English-language service be operated on a modified dual status, and the French-language service as a mandatory digital service.

Modified dual status means that a service will be distributed on a discretionary basis, unless the distributor and the programming service operator agree to its distribution as part of the basic service.

In Decision CRTC 2001-757, the Commission approved the application by WTM to be licensed as a new, national, Category 2 specialty television undertaking for digital distribution. The applicant's request for guaranteed access to analog distribution on cable was denied. The WTM application was heard at the 19 June 2001 Public Hearing.

By Order-in-Council P.C. 2002-330, the Governor in Council referred this decision back to the Commission for reconsideration and hearing. The Order-in-Council stated that it is material to the reconsideration and hearing that the Commission fully assess the appropriate options for the carriage by distributors of services that aspire to reflect and connect Canada's multicultural communities to broader audiences.

By letter dated 20 March 2002, the applicant was invited to submit any comment or amendment it might wish to make to its application, by 8 April 2002.

The Commission invites the public to regularly examine the public examination file of the above noted application in order to become aware of any additional information that could be filed in the future.

Pursuant to section 28(3) of the Broadcasting Act, where a decision is referred back to the Commission, the Commission may:

(a) rescind the decision or the issue of the licence;
(b) rescind the issue of the licence and issue a licence on the same or different
conditions to another person; or
(c) confirm, either with or without change,
variation or alteration, the decision or the
issue of the licence.

Applicant's address:

World Télémonde
890 Caledonia Road
Toronto, Ontario
M6B 3Y1
Fax: (416) 785-7350
E-Mail: nodigital@worldtelemonde.com

Examination of application :

At the applicant's address, and

65B Main Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia

387 St. Paul Street West
Montreal, Quebec

11431 - 162A Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta

3680 Hastings Street East
Suite 302
Vancouver, British Columbia

The Order states that:

Whereas, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission rendered Decision CRTC 2001-757 on December 14, 2001 whereby the Commission will issue a Category 2 digital licence to the World Television Network/Le Réseau Télémonde Inc. on that network's commencing operation;

Whereas the Governor in Council has received petitions requesting that that Decision be referred back to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for reconsideration and hearing of the matter by the Commission;

Whereas the Government of Canada is committed to a diversity of voices in Canadian broadcasting and considers that the broadcasting system should contribute to the full participation of diverse communities in Canadian society;

And whereas the Governor in Council, having considered the petitions, is satisfied that Decision CRTC 2001-757 derogates from the attainment of the objectives of the broadcasting policy set out in subsection 3(1) of the Broadcasting Act;

Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Canadian Heritage, pursuant to section 28 of the Broadcasting Act, hereby refers Decision CRTC 2001-757 of December 14, 2001 back to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission for reconsideration and hearing by the Commission and is of the opinion that it is material to the reconsideration and hearing that the Commission fully assess the appropriate options for the carriage of Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings of services that aspire to reflect and connect Canada's multicultural communities to broader audiences.

SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS

PERSONS REQUIRING COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT SUCH AS ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICES AND SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM THE COMMISSION AT LEAST TWENTY (20) DAYS BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PUBLIC HEARING SO THAT THE NECESSARY ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

DEADLINE FOR INTERVENTION

26 April 2002

APPLICANT'S DEADLINE FOR REPLY

1 May 2002

The intervention must be received by the CRTC and by the applicant ON OR BEFORE the above-mentioned date. The Commission cannot be held responsible for postal delays.

Your intervention will be considered by the Commission, and will form part of the public record of the proceeding without further notification to you, provided the procedure set out below has been followed. You will be contacted only if your submission raises procedural questions.

Submit your written intervention to the Secretary General of the Commission in ONLY ONE of the following formats:

BY ELECTRONIC MAIL TO
procedure@crtc.gc.ca

OR

BY MAIL AT
CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2

OR

BY FAX TO THE
Secretary General - (819) 994-0218

A true copy MUST be sent to the applicant and proof that this has been done must accompany the intervention sent to the Commission.

Where the intervention is filed by electronic means, the line ***End of document*** should be entered following the last paragraph of the document, as an indication that the document has not been damaged during electronic transmission.

Please note, that only the documents (applications and interventions) electronically filed will be available on the Commission's web site. You will be able to access these documents by indicating the public notice or the notice of public hearing number.

Each paragraph of the document should be numbered.

Your intervention should clearly identify the application and indicate whether you support or oppose the application, or if you propose changes to it, include the facts and grounds for your proposal.

In the event that the application is brought to the oral phase of the hearing, and if you wish to appear, you must provide reasons why your written comments are not sufficient and why an appearance is necessary.

In exceptional circumstances, the Commission may allow an intervenor to present its intervention by teleconference. At the time of filing its intervention, the intervenor must clearly indicate why the Commission should grant such a request.

Persons requiring communications support such as assistive listening devices and sign language interpretation are requested to inform the commission at least twenty (20) days before the commencement of the public hearing so that the necessary arrangements can be made.

EXAMINATION OF DOCUMENTS DURING NORMAL OFFICE HOURS

Documents are available at the local address provided in this notice and at the Commission offices and documentation centres directly involved with this application or, upon request, within 48 hours, at any other CRTC offices and documentation centres.

Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room G-5
Hull, Quebec K1A 0N2
Tel: (819) 997-2429 - TDD: 994-0423
FAX: (819) 994-0218

Bank of Commerce Building
1809 Barrington Street, Suite 1007
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3K8
Tel: (902) 426-7997 - TDD: 426-6997
FAX: (902) 426-2721

405 de Maisonneuve Blvd. East
2^nd Floor, Suite B2300
Montréal, Quebec H2L 4J5
Tel: (514) 283-6607 - TDD: 283-8316
FAX: (514) 283-3689

55 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M2
Tel: (416) 952-9096
FAX: (416) 954-6343

Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue, Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel: (204) 983-6306 - TDD: 983-8274
FAX: (204) 983-6317

Cornwall Professional Building
2125 - 11^th Avenue, Room 103
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3X3
Tel: (306) 780-3422
FAX: (306) 780-3319

10405 Jasper Avenue, Suite 520
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Tel: (780) 495-3224
FAX: (780) 495-3214

530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel: (604) 666-2111 - TDD: 666-0778
FAX: (604) 666-8322

This document is available in alternative format upon request and may also be examined at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca

Secretary General