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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-61
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Ottawa, 13 February 2007
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Saskatchewan Communications Network Corporation
Regina, Saskatchewan
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Application 2005-1568-7
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-138
26 October 2006
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Saskatchewan Communications Network Corporation - Licence renewal
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1.
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The Commission renews the broadcasting licence issued to Saskatchewan Communications Network Corporation (SCN) for the non-commercial, satellite-to-cable programming undertaking for the purpose of distributing educational programming in Saskatchewan, from 1 March 2007 to 31 August 2013. The current licence expires on 28 February 20071. The licence will be subject to the conditions set out in the appendix to this decision.
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2.
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The Commission received 23 interventions in support of this application, from various members of the broadcasting industry, including independent production companies, the Saskatchewan Film Producers Association, the Yorkton Short Film and Video Festival Inc., and the Knowledge Network2.
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3.
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A theme common to all of the interventions was appreciation for SCN's support for the broadcasting industry, in particular of regional independent production, as well as production from other parts of Canada.
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4.
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The Commission notes that the licensee indicated that it would adhere to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, which requires the broadcast of a minimum of 60% Canadian content during the broadcast day and 50% during the evening broadcast period.
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5.
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The Commission further notes the licensee's commitment to broadcast, between 7:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., an average of 21 hours per week of priority programming during each broadcast year of the licence term.
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Closed captioning
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6.
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In Licence renewal, Decision CRTC 99-495, 17 November 1999, the Commission renewed SCN's licence from 1 December 1999 to 31 August 2006. In that decision, the Commission noted SCN's projection that 90% of its programming would be closed captioned by the seventh year of the new licence term, and encouraged the licensee to achieve that level.
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7.
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In its current application, SCN noted that it had made steady progress towards its goal of captioning 90% of all programming, but due to budgetary pressures, programming obligations, and objectives such as achieving a Saskatchewan content of 50%, it had not been able to achieve its projected level of closed captioning.
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8.
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The licensee proposed to adhere to a condition of licence requiring that not less than 75% of all programming be closed captioned by the seventh year of the new licence term. In addition, SCN proposed that the Commission could expect SCN to ensure that 75% of all programming in prime time would be closed captioned within three years.
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9.
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Due to the non-commercial nature of SCN and its modest annual budget, the Commission accepts the licensee's proposals. It expects SCN to ensure that 75% of all programming in prime time will be closed captioned, beginning no later than 1 September 2009. In addition, the Commission has imposed a condition of licence, set out in the appendix to this decision, requiring that not less than 75% of all programming be closed captioned by the seventh year of the licence term.
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Employment equity
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10.
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In accordance with Implementation of an employment equity policy, Public Notice CRTC 1992-59, 1 September 1992, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.
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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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Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-61
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Conditions of licence
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1. The licensee shall adhere to the requirements of the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987.
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2. The licensee shall ensure that not less than 75% of all programming is closed captioned, beginning no later than 1 September 2012.
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3. The licensee shall adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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4. The licensee shall adhere to the guidelines on the depiction of violence in television programming set out in the CAB's Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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Footnotes:
[] In Administrative renewal, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-306, 19 July 2006, the Commission renewed administratively the licence for this undertaking, from 1 September 2006 to 28 February 2007.
[] Knowledge Network is a satellite-to-cable programming undertaking owned by Open Learning Agency, British Columbia's public educational broadcaster.
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Date Modified: 2007-02-13
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