Search

ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-188

This page has been archived on the Web

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. Archived Decisions, Notices and Orders (DNOs) remain in effect except to the extent they are amended or reversed by the Commission, a court, or the government. The text of archived information has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Changes to DNOs are published as “dashes” to the original DNO number. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats by contacting us.

Archived

This page has been archived on the Web.

  Route reference:
Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-109
  Ottawa, 9 April 2009
  Vision TV: Canada's Faith Network/Réseau religieux canadien
 Across Canada
  Application 2008-1457-6, received 27 October 2008
 

VisionTV – Licence amendments

  By majority decision, the Commission approves an application by Vision TV: Canada's Faith Network/Réseau religieux canadien to amend the broadcasting licence for the national, multi-faith specialty television programming undertaking known as VisionTV, by deleting its conditions of licence relating to its Board of Directors, and by amending the condition of licence relating to the Mosaic Program Management Group as well as the terms of reference cited in that condition of licence.
 

Introduction

1.

The Commission received an application by Vision TV: Canada's Faith Network/Réseau religieux canadien (Vision) to amend the broadcasting licence for the national, multi-faith specialty television programming undertaking known as VisionTV.

2.

The licensee proposed to delete conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5, set out in Broadcasting Decision 2004-397, which relate to the composition of its Board of Directors. These conditions of licence read as follows:
 

4. The Board of Directors of VisionTV shall consist of a minimum of nine members and a maximum of twelve members, and shall include representatives of at least three of the following world religions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Bahai, Native Spirituality, Sikhism, Unitarianism and Zoroastrianism.

 

5. The licensee shall ensure that, with respect to members of the Board of Directors, no more than two new or replacement directors shall have backgrounds that reflect a subdivision or denomination of any one world religion, or shall share a single faith perspective.

3.

Vision also proposed to replace condition of licence number 6 relating to the Mosaic Program Management Group, which currently reads as follows:

6. The licensee shall maintain over the licence term a Mosaic Program Management Group with the terms of reference, membership and mandate set out on page 15 of the original application for a licence dated 30 April 1987.

  with the following condition of licence:

6. The licensee shall maintain over the licence term a Mosaic Program Management Group with the terms of reference, membership and mandate set out in Appendix 1.

4.

Finally, the licensee proposed to amend the terms of reference cited in condition of licence number 6. These terms of reference, currently found on page 15 of the licensee's original application dated 30 April 1987, are as follows:
 

Mosaic Program Management Group

The Mosaic Program Management Group is a structure designed to deal with matters of policy and action pertaining to Mosaic programming, scheduling and adherence to the Code of Ethics and Program Practices.

 

The terms of reference for this group are:

 

1. The Membership of the group will be composed of:

(a) a representative of each qualifying faith group or religious entity purchasing time on the service; and

(b) the Executive Producer of Cornerstone, and the Director of the Mosaic Services.

 

2. The Mandate shall be to:

(a) advise on matters of program balance, ensuring that no one faith perspective or group of faith perspectives dominates the service unfairly, and ensuring a balance in the Mosaic program day with respect to program styles and content;

(b) advise on matters of network philosophy, mission and identity, as well as long-term goals and plans;

(c) advise on matters of the Code of Ethics and Program Practices, ensuring adherence to the Code within the Mosaic program;

(d) advise on matters of policy respecting the Cornerstone program service through representation on the Program Committee;

(e) nominate three people to serve on the Board of Directors who are eminent Canadians experienced in business, broadcasting or the social services;

(f) nominate three representatives to each of the Program, Finance and Personnel Committees.

5.

The licensee proposed to replace the above terms of reference with the following terms of reference:
 

Mosaic Program Management Group

The Mosaic Program Management Group is a structure designed to deal with matters of policy and action pertaining to Mosaic programming, scheduling and adherence to the Code of Ethics and Program Practices.

 

The terms of reference for this group are:

 

1. The Membership of the group will be composed of representatives of faith groups or religious entities purchasing time on the service.

2. The Mandate shall be to:

(a) advise on matters of program balance, ensuring that no one faith perspective or group of faith perspectives dominates the service unfairly, and ensuring a balance in the Mosaic program schedule over the broadcast year with respect to program styles and content;

(b) advise on matters of network philosophy, mission and identity, as well as long-term goals and plans;

(c) advise on matters of the Code of Ethics and Program Practices, ensuring adherence to the Code within the Mosaic program sector; and

(d) advise management on relevant developments within specific faith communities served by the members of the group.

6.

Vision submitted that condition of licence number 6 and the terms of reference cited in that condition, in their current forms, as well as conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5, are unnecessary, overly burdensome and out of touch with current trends in broadcast regulations.

7.

The Commission received an intervention offering general comments from the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations, as well as an intervention in opposition to this application from RJ Deverell Productions. The Commission notes that the interveners raised issues in regard to the licensee's proposal to delete conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5, and did not raise any issues in regard to the licensee's proposal to amend condition of licence number 6 and the terms of reference cited in that condition. The interventions and the licensee's reply to the interventions can be found on the Commission's website at www.crtc.gc.ca under "Public Proceedings."
 

Commission's analysis and determinations

8.

After examining the application, the interventions and the licensee's reply to the interventions, the Commission considers that the issues to be determined relate to the licensee's proposal to delete conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5 and the potential effect on the diversity of religious programming on the service and on diversity in Canadian broadcasting in general.

9.

In regard to conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5, the Commission considers that VisionTV's status as a service that provides interfaith, religious programming, as set out in its condition of licence number 1 (nature of service) to Broadcasting Decision 2004-397, and the fact that VisionTV, as a religious broadcaster, must adhere to the Commission's religious broadcast policy set out in Public Notice 1993-78, are sufficient to ensure balance in the interfaith, religious programming broadcast by the service. The Commission therefore considers it appropriate to delete conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5, as requested by the licensee, in order to grant it some flexibility in its internal management structure.

10.

Further, the Commission notes the licensee's commitment to interfaith representation on its Board of Directors, and will review how the licensee has adhered to this commitment at the next licence renewal for VisionTV. The current licence expires 31 August 2011.

11.

In light of the above, the Commission, by majority decision, approves the application by Vision TV: Canada's Faith Network/Réseau religieux canadien to amend the broadcasting licence for the national, multi-faith specialty television programming undertaking known as VisionTV, by deleting conditions of licence numbers 4 and 5 and by amending condition of licence number 6 and the terms of reference cited in that condition of licence. Accordingly, condition of licence number 6 shall now read as follows:

6. The licensee shall maintain over the licence term a Mosaic Program Management Group with the terms of reference, membership and mandate set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

  Secretary General
 

Related documents

 
  • VisionTV – Licence renewal, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-397, 31 August 2004
 
  • Religious Broadcasting Policy, Public Notice CRTC 1993-78, 3 June 1993
  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
 

Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-188

 

Terms of reference – Mosaic Program Management Group

  Mosaic Program Management Group

The Mosaic Program Management Group is a structure designed to deal with matters of policy and action pertaining to Mosaic programming, scheduling and adherence to the Code of Ethics and Program Practices.

The terms of reference for this group are:

1. The Membership of the group will be composed of representatives of faith groups or religious entities purchasing time on the service.

2. The Mandate shall be to:

(a) advise on matters of program balance, ensuring that no one faith perspective or group of faith perspectives dominates the service unfairly, and ensuring a balance in the Mosaic program schedule over the broadcast year with respect to program styles and content;

(b) advise on matters of network philosophy, mission and identity, as well as long-term goals and plans;

(c) advise on matters of the Code of Ethics and Program Practices, ensuring adherence to the Code within the Mosaic program sector; and

(d) advise management on relevant developments within specific faith communities served by the members of the group.

Date modified: