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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2005-327
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Ottawa, 15 July 2005
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The Score Television Network Ltd.
Across Canada
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Application 2005-0289-0
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-47
13 May 2005
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The Score - Licence amendment
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In this decision, the Commission approves an application to make The Score available in the high definition format.
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The application
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1.
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The Commission received an application by The Score Television Network Ltd. to amend the broadcasting licence for the national specialty programming undertaking known as The Score, in order to allow The Score 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.
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Interventions
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2.
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The Commission received two interventions concerning this application. In his intervention, Mr. Cadman pointed out the licensee's failure to indicate the amount of HD programming it would broadcast. Mr. Cadman argued that, unless the licensee broadcasts a minimum of 50% of the programming in HD, there is no point in approving this application.
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3.
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Bell ExpressVu LP and the prospective Class 1 distribution service of Bell Canada, collectively referred to as Bell (Bell) indicated that it generally supported the application but suggested that, if the Commission were to approve this application, the decision should indicate that carriage of the service would be arranged through negotiations.
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4.
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The licensee did not respond to these interventions.
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Commission's analysis and determination
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5.
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In response to Mr. Cadman's concerns, the Commission reiterates its position stated in The regulatory framework for the distribution of digital television signals, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2003-61, 11 November 2003 (Public Notice 2003-61), in which it stipulated 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 the HD format. This process was initiated 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.
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6.
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With respect to the concerns related to carriage expressed by Bell, the Commission notes that, as indicated in Public Notice 2003-61, carriage of this service will be arranged through negotiation.
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7.
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Accordingly, the Commission approves the application. By condition of licence, The Score Television Network Ltd. is authorized to make available for distribution, until 15 July 2008, a version of The Score in high definition format, provided that not less that 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.
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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 examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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Date Modified: 2005-07-15