Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-355
Route reference:
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2007-54
Ottawa, 8 June 2010
Implementation of the Accessibility Policy with respect to new Category 2 pay and specialty services
In the appendix to this document, the Commission sets out standardized conditions of licence concerning accessibility of programming for Category 2 pay and specialty services, in accordance with the policy announced in Accessibility of telecommunications and broadcasting services, Broadcasting and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-430, 21 July 2009.
1. In Broadcasting Public Notice 2007-54, the Commission indicated that it would require all broadcasters, including third-language broadcasters, to caption 100% of their English- and French-language programs, with the exception of advertising and promos. In Broadcasting and Telecom Regulatory Policy 2009-430 (the Accessibility Policy), the Commission noted that captioning technology, including voice recognition software – which is used extensively in captioning French‑language programming – has greatly improved and should no longer be considered a technology in development. Consequently, in accordance with the Accessibility Policy, the Commission has set out in the appendix to this document a standardized condition of licence requiring licensees of new Category 2 programming undertakings to:
- ensure that advertising, sponsorship messages and promos are closed captioned by no later than the fourth year of the licence term;
- adhere to the quality standards on closed captioning developed by television industry working groups, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission; and
- implement a monitoring system to ensure that closed captioning is included in the broadcast signal and that captioning reaches the viewer in its original form.
2. In the Accessibility Policy, the Commission also indicated that it would continue to require conventional and Category 1 broadcasters to provide four hours of described video per week. The Commission determines that it is appropriate not to impose a condition of licence to that effect for Category 2 services at this time. Nonetheless, the Commission expects such services to acquire and make available described versions of programming whenever possible.
3. Further, in that same policy, the Commission indicated that licensees would be required, by condition of licence, to provide audio description for all information programs, including news programming. A condition of licence to this effect is set out in the appendix to this document.
Secretary General
Related documents
- Accessibility of telecommunications and broadcasting services, Broadcasting and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-430, 21 July 2009
- A new policy with respect to closed captioning, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2007-54, 17 May 2007
Appendix to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-355
Standardized conditions of licence, expectations and encouragement concerning accessibility of programming for Category 2 pay and specialty services
Conditions of licence
1. The licensee shall caption 100% of the English- and French-language programs broadcast over the broadcast day, consistent with the approach set out in A new policy with respect to closed captioning, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2007-54, 17 May 2007.
2. In accordance with Accessibility of telecommunications and broadcasting services, Broadcasting and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-430, 21 July 2009, the licensee shall:
- ensure that advertising, sponsorship messages and promos in the English and French language are closed captioned by no later than the fourth year of the licence term;
- adhere to the quality standards on closed captioning developed by television industry working groups, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission; and
- implement a monitoring system to ensure that, for any signal that is closed captioned, the correct signal is captioned, the captioning is included in its broadcast signal and this captioning reaches the distributor of that signal in its original form. “Original form” means, at a minimum, that the captioning provided by the licensee reaches the distributor unaltered, whether it is passed through in analog or in digital, including in high definition.
3. The licensee shall provide audio description for all the key elements of information programs, including news programming. For the purposes of this condition of licence, “audio description” refers to announcers reading aloud the textual and graphic information that is displayed on the screen during information programs.
Expectations
When captions are available and where the licensee broadcasts over an 18-hour broadcast day, the Commission expects the licensee to provide viewers with a closed captioned version of all programming aired during the overnight period.
The Commission expects the licensee to acquire and make available described versions of programming whenever possible.
The licensee is expected to:
- display a standard described video logo and air an audio announcement indicating the presence of described video before the broadcast of each described program; and
- make information available regarding the described programs that it will broadcast.
Encouragement
The Commission encourages the licensee to repeat the standard described video logo and audio announcement indicating the presence of described video following each commercial break.The Commission encourages the licensee to repeat the standard described video logo and audio announcement indicating the presence of described video following each commercial break.
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