ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-730

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Route reference: 2011-427

Additional reference: 2011-427-1

Ottawa, 25 November 2011

Bell Media Inc.
Across Canada

Application 2011-0873-8, received 16 May 2011
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
19 September 2011

Bella – Specialty Category B service

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

The application

1.      Bell Media Inc. (Bell Media) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate Bella, a national, English-language specialty Category B service devoted to programming that relates to relationships, lifestyle, beauty, trends and style, and that includes features, coverage of live events and commentary on politics and modern culture from the female perspective. The proposed service would focus on the interests and needs of young professional women, young mothers, and women between the ages of 18 and 34. The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.

2.      Bell Media 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, 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, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 13 and 14.

4.      To ensure that the proposed service would not be directly competitive with existing Category A services, the applicant indicated that it would accept the following conditions of licence:

• No more than 15% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast month shall be drawn from each of program categories 2(b), 7(d) and 7(e).

• No more than 10% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast month shall be drawn from program category 6(a).

• No more than 15% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast year shall be drawn from program category 8(a).

• No more than 10% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast month shall be drawn from program categories 8(b) and 8(c) combined.

• No more than 15% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast year shall be drawn from each of program categories 5(a), 10 and 11.

• No more than 15% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast year shall be based on the following genres: fashion, health and wellness, travel, food, or home and garden.

Commission’s decision

5.      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 English-language specialty Category B service Bella. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Reminder

6.      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

• Amendments to certain Regulations made under the Broadcasting Act to add a new program category “Reality television,” Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-401, 30 June 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.