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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-277
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Ottawa, 6 July 2006
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Toronto Maple Leafs Network Ltd.
Across Canada
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Application 2006-0118-9
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-54
26 April 2006
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LeafsTV - Licence amendment
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1.
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The Commission approves the application by Toronto Maple Leafs Network Ltd. to amend the broadcasting licence for the regional Category 2 specialty programming undertaking known as LeafsTV, in order to allow the programming now provided by LeafsTV in a standard definition (SD) digital format to also be available for distribution in a high definition (HD) version. The programming will be the same as that offered on the existing SD version of the service.
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2.
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The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.
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3.
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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 stated that it would authorize the licensee of a Canadian pay or specialty service to make available an upgraded version of its service, by means of an amendment to the licence of the existing 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.
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4.
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The Commission published its new framework in Regulatory framework for the licensing and distribution of high definition pay and specialty services, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-74, 15 June 2006 (Public Notice 2006-74). In that public notice, the Commission stated:
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Those services that are authorized to offer HD programming by way of licence amendment will remain subject to the requirement initially imposed in Public Notice 2003-61 that the programming on the analog or SD service and on the upgraded service be comparable, that is, not less than 95% of the video and audio components must be the same. Further, the Commission will require that all of the programming making up the 5% allowance be provided in HD.
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5.
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Given that the present application was filed and published prior to the release of Public Notice 2006-74, the Commission is approving the condition of licence proposed by Toronto Maple Leafs Network Ltd., which reflects the previous approach established in Public Notice 2003-61, and does not contain the additional requirement that all of the 5% allowance be provided in HD.
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6.
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Accordingly, by condition of licence, Toronto Maple Leafs Network Ltd. is authorized to make available for distribution, for a period of three years from the date of this decision, a version of LeafsTV in high definition format, provided that not less than 95% of the video and audio components of the upgraded and standard definition 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: www.crtc.gc.ca
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Date Modified: 2006-07-06