ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-718

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Route reference: 2011-427

Ottawa, 17 November 2011

Bell Media Inc.
Across Canada

Application 2011-0905-9, received 31 May 2011
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
19 September 2011

Discovery French – Specialty Category B service

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a specialty Category B service.

The application

1.      Bell Media Inc. (Bell) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate Discovery French, a national, French-language specialty Category B service that would be devoted to programming exploring scientific and technological discoveries, the environment, nature and human health. The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.

2.      Bell is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc.

3.      The applicant proposed to draw programming from the following program categories set out in Item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time: 1, 2(a), 2(b), 3, 4, 5(a), 5(b), 6(a), 6(b), 7(a), 7(b), 7(c), 7(d), 7(e), 7(f), 7(g), 8(a), 8(b), 8(c), 9, 10, 11a), 11b), 12, 13 and 14.

4.      The applicant also proposed the following condition of licence:

• Not more than 10% of the programming broadcast over the broadcast month shall be drawn from each of program categories 6(a), 7(d) and 7(e), as well as from program categories 8(b) and 8(c) combined.

5.      The applicant noted that the proposed nature of service would be similar to the one for the specialty Category B service Sens, which is set out in Broadcasting Decision 2011-114.

Commission’s decision

6.      As was the case in Broadcasting Decision 2011-114 dealing with the specialty Category B service Sens, the Commission considers that the nature of service definition proposed for Discovery French is sufficiently precise to ensure that the service is not directly competitive with Category A services and that it can be exempt for the standard limit which restricts programs from category 2b) to 10% of the broadcast month.

7.      The Commission is satisfied that the application complies with all applicable policies, terms and conditions, including those set out in Public Notice 2000-6, Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, and Broadcasting Regulatory Policies 2010-786 and 2010-786-1. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Bell Media Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate the national, French-language specialty Category B service Discovery French. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Reminder

8.      The Commission reminds the applicant that distribution of this service is subject to the requirements set out in the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for Category B pay and specialty services – Corrected Appendices 1 and 2, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-786-1, 18 July 2011

• Sens – Category 2 specialty service, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-114, 21 February 2011

• Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for Category B pay and specialty services, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-786, 25 October 2010

• Regulatory frameworks for broadcasting distribution undertakings and discretionary programming services – Regulatory policy, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-100, 30 October 2008

• Licensing framework policy for new digital pay and specialty services, Public Notice CRTC 2000-6, 13 January 2000

*This decision is to be appended to the licence.