Letter
Ottawa, 25 April 2003
Ms. Lanny Morry
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
250 Lanark Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1Z 6R5
Re: Year 2 Annual Reports Pursuant to Public Notice CRTC 2000-1
Dear Ms. Morry:
This is to acknowledge that the Commission accepts the second annual report filed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) / Société Radio-Canada (SRC) (the Corporation) on 3 December 2002, pursuant to A distinctive voice for all Canadians: Renewal of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's licences - A preamble to the Commission's decisions on the CBC licence renewals: Decisions CRTC 2000-1, 2000-2 and 2000-3, Public Notice CRTC 2000-1, 6 January 2000. These annual reports relate to the following decisions: Licences for CBC English-language television and radio renewed for a seven-year term, Decision CRTC 2000-1, 6 January 2000, Licences for CBC French-language television and radio renewed for a seven-year term, Decision CRTC 2000-2, 6 January 2000, and Licences for Newsworld and RDI renewed for a seven-year term, Decision CRTC 2000-3 (the renewal decisions), pertaining to the renewal of the English and French television and radio networks and individual station licenses, as well as Newsworld and Le Réseau de l'Information (RDI).
The Commission notes that the licensee has indicated that the English Radio Network services, French radio's La Premiere Chaine, Newsworld and Le Réseau de l'Information are fully in compliance with their conditions of licence, and have fully addressed the requirements and expectations set in the renewal decisions. The Commission further notes the Corporation's efforts to ensure that Canadians in all provinces have access to La Chaine culturelle and the measures undertaken to fully meet its conditions of licence. The reports also indicate that the English and French Television services have met or exceeded the Commission's conditions, requirements and expectations in nearly all areas.
With respect to the English-language television services, the Commission again notes that the CBC's strategic Transformation has resulted in the reduction of local/regional programming levels from those undertaken by the CBC and reflected in Decision CRTC 2000-1. The CBC's local news programming now consists of half-hour supper hour local/regional newscasts produced at CBC owned-and-operated stations across the country, which are combined with a half-hour national newscast.
With respect to the French-language services, the Commission commends the CBC for increasing the amount of regional programming other than news in both peak time and throughout the broadcast day. However, the Commission notes that a requirement of Decision CRTC 2000-2 was for CBC "to provide a weekend regional news service in all regions by the beginning of the second year of the new licence term." This requirement has not yet been met.
The annual reports and related correspondence will be placed on the CBC and SRC public examination files.
Yours sincerely,
Diane Rhéaume
A/Secretary General
|