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ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-76

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Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-76

  Ottawa, 3 September 2008
 

Notice of consultation

 

Call for comments on the proposed addition of CNN International to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis

1.

The Commission received a request dated 30 May 2008 from Shaw Communications Inc. (Shaw) for the addition of CNN International (CNNI), a non-Canadian, English-language satellite service originating in the United States, to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis (the digital lists).

2.

Shaw described the service as a 24 hour-per-day, professionally produced, satellite-delivered, advertiser-supported video programming service in the English language predominantly consisting of news, information and special features. According to Shaw, CNNI focuses on international news, current affairs and business programming reported by staff of various international backgrounds.

3.

The Commission's approach to requests for the addition of non-Canadian English- and French-language services to the digital lists is set out in Call for proposals to amend the lists of eligible satellite services through the inclusion of additional non-Canadian services eligible for distribution on a digital basis only, Public Notice CRTC 2000-173, 14 December 2000 (Public Notice 2000-173). Under this approach, the Commission assesses such requests in the context of its general policy, which, among other things, precludes the addition of a non-Canadian satellite service that can be considered either totally or partially competitive with Canadian specialty or pay television services. In applying this policy, the Commission takes into account all specialty and pay television programming services whose licence applications have been approved by the Commission, including launched and unlaunched Category 1 and Category 2 services.

4.

The Commission notes that, as described in Public Notice 2000-173, parties requesting that a non-Canadian service be added to the digital lists are required to provide a statement from the service provider that it has obtained all necessary rights for distribution of its programming in Canada. Further, services are added to the digital lists subject to a requirement to this effect, among other things. In this case, CNNI stated that it had not yet obtained all the necessary rights but undertook to ensure that all such rights are obtained before its signal is made available in Canada.

5.

Since CNNI is a news service and thus likely produces much of its own content, the Commission considers it unlikely that the service would face any particular difficulties ensuring that it has the rights to distribute its programming in Canada. Accordingly, in this particular case, the Commission is prepared to seek comment on the request on the basis of the statement noted above. However, if the Commission determines that CNNI should be authorized for distribution in Canada, the Commission will require confirmation that CNNI does in fact have all the necessary rights before actually adding the service to the digital lists.

6.

The Commission will rely primarily on the comments filed to identify the Canadian pay and specialty services with which CNNI might be totally or partially competitive and which therefore should be included in the assessment of the competitiveness of the service. Parties wishing to argue that CNNI would be competitive should therefore name the specific Canadian pay or specialty services with which they consider the service would compete and provide details to support their views, such as comparisons as to nature and genre of service, programming schedules, programming sources and supply, and target audience.
 

Call for comments

7.

The Commission calls for comments on Shaw's request for the addition of CNNI to the digital lists. Parties submitting comments on the request should also submit a true copy of their comments to the Canadian sponsor, Shaw, at the following address:
 

Shaw Communications Inc.
440 Laurier Ave. W., #330
Ottawa, Ontario  K1R 7X6

Address : Cynthia Rathwell
E-mail : cynthia.rathwell@starchoice.com
Telephone: 613-234-6265
Facsimile: 613-234-2997

8.

Proof that comments have been sent to Shaw must accompany the original version of the comments sent to the Commission.

9.

Comments on Shaw's request must be received by the Commission no later than 3 October 2008. A copy of the comments must be received by Shaw no later than that date.

10.

Shaw may file a written reply to any comments received concerning its request. This reply should be filed with the Commission and a copy sent to the person who submitted the comments, by no later than 14 October 2008.

11.

The Commission will not formally acknowledge comments. It will, however, fully consider all comments and they will form part of the public record of the proceeding, provided that the procedures for filing set out below have been followed.
 

Procedures for filing comments

12.

Interested parties can file their comments to the Secretary General of the Commission:
 
  • by using the
     Broadcasting Intervention/Comments Form
 

OR

 
  • by mail to
     CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
 

OR

 
  • by fax at
     819-994-0218

13.

Submissions longer than five pages should include a summary.

14.

Please number each paragraph of your submission. In addition, please enter the line ***End of document*** following the last paragraph. This will help the Commission verify that the document has not been damaged during transmission.
 

Important notice

15.

Note that all information that you provide as part of this public process, except information granted confidentiality, whether sent by postal mail, facsimile, e-mail or through the Commission's Website at www.crtc.gc.ca, becomes part of a publicly accessible file and will be posted on the Commission's website. This information includes your personal information, such as your full name, e-mail address, postal/street address, telephone and facsimile number(s), and any other personal information you provide.

16.

The personal information you provide will be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled by the Commission, or for a use consistent with that purpose.

17.

Documents received electronically or otherwise will be put on the Commission's website in their entirety exactly as you send them, including any personal information contained therein, in the official language and format in which they are received. Documents not received electronically will be available in PDF format.

18.

Please note that the information you provide to the Commission as part of this public process is entered into an unsearchable database dedicated to this specific public process. This database is accessible only from the webpage of this particular public process. As a result, a general search of our website with the help of either our own search engine or a third-party search engine will not provide access to the information which was provided as part of this public process.

19.

The Commission encourages interested parties to monitor the public examination file and the Commission's website for additional information that they may find useful when preparing their comments.
 

Examination of public comments and related documents at the following Commission offices during normal business hours

  Toll-free telephone: 1-877-249-2782
Toll-free TDD: 1-877-909-2782
  Central Building
Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
1 Promenade du Portage, Room 206
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0N2
Tel.: 819-997-2429
Fax: 819-994-0218
  Metropolitan Place
99 Wyse Road
Suite 1410
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3A 4S5
Tel.: 902-426-7997
Fax: 902-426-2721
  205 Viger Avenue West
Suite 504
Montréal, Quebec  H2Z 1G2
Tel.: 514-283-6607
  55 St. Clair Avenue East
Suite 624
Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M2
Tel.: 416-952-9096
  Kensington Building
275 Portage Avenue
Suite 1810
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2B3
Tel.: 204-983-6306
TDD: 204-983-8274
Fax: 204-983-6317
  Cornwall Professional Building
2125 - 11th Avenue
Room 103
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 3X3
Tel.: 306-780-3422
  10405 Jasper Avenue
Suite 520
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3N4
Tel.: 780-495-3224
  530-580 Hornby Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 3B6
Tel.: 604-666-2111
TDD: 604-666-0778
Fax: 604-666-8322
  Secretary General
  This document 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.

Date Modified: 2008-09-03

Date modified: