ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-350

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Route reference: Part 1 applications posted 13 February 2012

Ottawa, 27 June 2012

Bell Media Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia; Red Deer, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Calgary, Alberta; Regina, Prince Albert, Yorkton and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Winnipeg, Manitoba; North Bay, Kitchener, Timmins, Sudbury, Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie and Toronto, Ontario; Montréal, Quebec; Saint John and Moncton, New Brunswick; Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia

Applications 2012-0150-9 and 2012-0151-6

Bell Media Inc. conventional television stations – Licence amendments related to coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games

The Commission approves applications by Bell Media Inc. for temporary relief from conditions of licence relating to the provision of described video and local programming from 27 July through 12 August 2012 inclusively. This relief is necessary to accommodate Bell Media Inc.’s coverage of the Olympic Games.

The application

1.      The Commission received two applications from Bell Media Inc. (Bell Media) for temporary relief from conditions of licence for its conventional television stations relating to the provision of described video (application 2012-0150-9) and local programming for stations in metropolitan television markets (application 2012-0151-6). This relief would apply from 27 July through 12 August 2012 inclusively, when the Bell Media stations will be devoting large portions of their schedules to coverage of the Olympic Games.

2.      Bell Media’s current condition of licence relating to described video is as follows:

8. The licensee shall provide described video for a minimum of four hours per broadcast week, of which two hours must be broadcast in described video for the first time on the service. The minimum four hours of described video programming broadcast during each broadcast week may be drawn from the following program categories, set out in item 6 of Schedule I to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987: 2(b) Long-form documentary; 7 Drama and comedy; 9 Variety; 11(a) General entertainment and human interest; and 11(b) Reality television, and/or may be programming targeting children.

3.      This condition applies to the following stations:

• CIVT-DT Vancouver
• CFRN-TV-6 Red Deer
• CFRN-DT Edmonton
• CFCN-DT-5 Lethbridge
• CFCN-DT Calgary
• CKCK-DT Regina
• CIPA-TV Prince Albert
• CICC-TV Yorkton
• CFQC-DT Saskatoon
• CKY-DT Winnipeg
• CKNY-TV North Bay
• CKCO-DT Kitchener
• CITO-TV Timmins
• CICI-TV Sudbury
• CJOH-DT Ottawa
• CHBX-TV Sault Ste. Marie
• CFTO-DT Toronto
• CFCF-DT Montréal
• CKLT-DT Saint John
• CKCW-DT Moncton
• CJCH-DT Halifax
• CJCB-TV Sydney

4.      Bell Media’s current condition of licence related to local programming for stations in metropolitan television markets is as follows:

11. If a licensee operates in a metropolitan television market, the licensee shall broadcast no less than 14 hours of Canadian local programming in each broadcast week.

5.      This condition applies to the following stations:

• CFTO-DT Toronto
• CJOH-DT Ottawa
• CFCF-DT Montréal
• CFCN-DT Calgary
• CFRN-DT Edmonton
• CIVT-DT Vancouver

6.      The applicant applied to reduce its local programming requirement from a minimum of 14 hours to a minimum of 7 hours per week from 27 July through 12 August 2012, inclusively.

Interventions

7.      The Commission received three interventions with respect to these applications – two in support and one in opposition.

8.      The supporting interveners emphasized the additional coverage of amateur athletes that the broadcast of the Olympic Games would provide and noted that television was the only way in which the parents of many of these athletes could see them compete in the Olympic Games. The interveners further submitted that Canadians enjoy seeing their country’s athletes in action and noted the benefits to viewers of witnessing the healthy example of a lifestyle that includes sports.

9.      The opposing intervener was concerned that Bell Media was using the Olympic Games as an opportunity to avoid its obligation to provide local news.

10.  Bell Media did not reply to the interventions.

Commission’s analysis and decisions

11.  The Commission considers that it is of value to viewers to receive broadcast coverage of special international events such as the Olympic Games, in which Canadians compete and participate in many ways. It is therefore of the view that the flexibility that Bell Media has requested with respect to levels of local news and described video for the two-week period of the Olympic Games is appropriate.

12.  However, given the importance of local programming and described video, the Commission considers that Bell Media should make up any shortfalls incurred during the period in question over the rest of the calendar year.

13.  In light of all of the above, the Commission approves the application by Bell Media Inc. for temporary relief from conditions of licence relating to the provision of video description for its conventional television stations and local programming for its stations in metropolitan television markets. This relief will apply from 27 July through 12 August 2012 inclusively.

14.  In order to implement this relief, the Commission amends the broadcasting licences for the above-noted stations by adding the following condition of licence.

For the period from 27 July to 12 August 2012 inclusively, the licensee is relieved of the requirements of conditions of licence 8 and 11 set out in the appendix to Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for conventional television stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-442, 27 July 2011.

15.  The Commission expects the licensee to make up any shortfalls in weekly local programming and described video caused by Olympic coverage by increasing accordingly the amount of such programming during the remainder of the 2012 calendar year.

Secretary General

*This decision is to be appended to each licence.

Date modified:

2012-06-27