ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-453
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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-453 |
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| Ottawa, 8 October 2004 | |
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The Sports Network Inc. Across Canada |
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Application 2004-0103-4 Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-42 21 June 2004 |
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The Sports Network - Licence amendment |
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| In this decision, the Commission approves an application to make The Sports Network available in the high definition format. | |
The application |
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1. |
The Commission received an application by The Sports Network Inc. (TSN Inc.) to amend the broadcasting licence for the national specialty programming undertaking known as The Sports Network (TSN), in order to allow TSN to be available for distribution in the high definition (HD) format. The programming would be the same as that offered on the analog version of the service. |
The interventions |
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2. |
The Commission received two interventions offering general comments in connection with this application, one from the Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA) and one from Mr. Mario Bartel. |
| 3. | The comment submitted by the CCTA supported the application, but opposed any requirement on behalf of its members to carry HD specialty services. The CCTA stated that "distributors should be allowed to choose to carry these services based on sufficient amounts of compelling high definition content." The intervener further stated that it is imperative that the Commission encourage broadcasters to produce and purchase HD programming that will meaningfully increase levels of true HD programming in Canada. |
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4. |
Mr. Mario Bartel's comment expressed frustration with the lack of programming currently being offered in HD format and indicated that cable providers should not be allowed to charge a premium on top of the extra fees already being charged for a discretionary service. Mr. Bartel stated that to truly advance the implementation of HD broadcasting in Canada, the Commission should consider implementing a minimum standard for the amount of original HD content, including Canadian HD content. |
The applicant's reply |
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5. |
In its response to Mr. Bartel's comment, the parent company of the applicant, CTV Specialty Television Inc. (CTV) stated its dedication to the advancement and development of HD programming and noted that the company has been in the forefront in introducing HD programming in Canada. CTV stated that the development of HD programming in Canada is still in its infancy and that it supports the Commission's regulatory framework, set out in The regulatory framework for the distribution of digital television signals, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2003-61, 11 November 2003 (Public Notice 2003-61). |
The Commission's analysis and determination |
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With respect to the concerns related to carriage expressed by the CCTA, the Commission notes that carriage of the service will be arranged through negotiation. With regard to the views expressed by Mr. Bartel with respect to the lack of HD programming, in Call for comments on a proposed framework for the licensing and distribution of high definition pay and specialty services, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-58, 6 August 2004 (Public Notice 2004-58), the Commission proposed a regulatory framework that will foster both the licensing and the distribution of high definition programming. |
| 7. | In Public Notice 2003-61, the Commission stated that it would authorize the licensee of a Canadian pay or specialty service to make available an upgraded version of the service, by means of an amendment to the licence of the corresponding analog service. This authority would be in effect for a term of three years, pending the development of a licensing and distribution framework for Canadian pay and specialty services in HD format. This process was initiated in Public Notice 2004-58. |
| 8. | Accordingly, the Commission approves the licensee's request. By condition of licence, The Sports Network Inc. is authorized to make available for distribution, until 8 October 2007, a version of TSN in high definition format, provided that not less than 95% of the video and audio components of the upgraded and analog versions of the service are the same, exclusive of the commercial messages and of any part of the service carried on a subsidiary signal. |
| Secretary General | |
| This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca |
Date Modified: 2004-10-08
- Date modified: