| |
Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-180 |
| |
Ottawa, 14 August 2008 |
| |
Telelatino Network Inc.
Across Canada |
| |
Application 2007-1629-3, received 19 November 2007
Public Hearing in the National Capital Region
13 May 2008 |
| |
Spanish Television - Category 2 specialty service |
| |
The Commission denies an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a new ethnic Category 2 specialty programming undertaking. |
| |
Introduction |
1. |
Telelatino Network Inc. filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate Spanish Television, a national, general interest, ethnic Category 2 specialty service that would offer programming devoted to Canadians of Hispanic origins. All of the programming broadcast during the broadcast week would be in the English language. |
2. |
The applicant requested authority, by condition of licence, to broadcast up to six minutes per hour of local and regional advertising. |
3. |
The Commission has implemented a competitive, open-entry approach to licensing Category 2 services. While the Commission does not consider the impact that a
Category 2 service might have on an existing Category 2 service, it does seek to ensure that Category 2 services do not compete directly with any existing Category 1 or analog pay or specialty television service. The Commission examines each application in detail, taking into consideration the proposed nature of service and the unique circumstances of the genre in question. |
4. |
The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application. |
| |
Would Spanish Television be directly competitive with an existing Category 1 or analog pay or specialty service? |
5. |
The Commission notes that although the target audience for the proposed service is Canadians of Hispanic origins, all of the programming would be in English. It further notes that the applicant's proposed nature of service definition is very broad. The Commission is of the view that the applicant has not established sufficient safeguards to ensure that the proposed service would not become directly competitive with existing Category 1 or analog pay or specialty services. |
| |
Conclusion |
6. |
Based on the foregoing, the Commission concludes that the proposed Category 2 service would compete directly with existing Category 1 or analog pay or specialty services. Accordingly, the Commission denies the application by Telelatino Network Inc., for a broadcasting licence to operate Spanish Television, a national, general interest, ethnic Category 2 specialty service. |
| |
Secretary General |
| |
This decision 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. |