ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-522
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Route reference: 2012-300
Ottawa, 27 September 2012
Channel Punjabi Broadcasting Corporation
Across Canada
Application 2012-0421-3, received 28 March 2012
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
18 July 2012
Asian Connections Television – Specialty Category B service
The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a new specialty Category B service.
The Commission also approves the applicant’s request relating to the broadcast of local advertising.
The application
1. Channel Punjabi Broadcasting Corporation (CPBC) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate Asian Connections Television, a national, niche English- and third-language ethnic specialty Category B service that would be devoted to traditional South Asian religion, entertainment, news and a variety of community events. The programming would target a younger audience and would focus mostly on fashion and magazine-style programs. It would also be dedicated to health, exercise, lifestyle, sports, talk shows, music and events such as the Country Music Awards, Juno Awards and Vancouver Fashion Week.
2. CPBC is wholly-owned and controlled by its only shareholder, Harmon Bal.
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(b), 3, 4, 5(a), 5(b), 6(a), 6(b), 7(a), 7(b), 7(c), 7(d), 7(e), 7(f), 8(b), 8(c), 9, 10, 11(a) and 13.
4. Of all the programming broadcast in each broadcast day, the applicant requested that it be authorized to broadcast 60% in the English language, 30% in the Punjabi language and 10% in the Hindi language. The applicant further requested that it be authorized to devote up to six minutes of the twelve minutes of advertising material permitted during each clock hour to the broadcast of local1 and regional advertising.
5. The Commission received interventions in support of this application, as well as an intervention in opposition from Channel Punjabi Television Inc. (CPTI). The public record for this application can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings.”
Commission’s analysis and decisions
6. In its intervention, CPTI expressed concern over the possibility that the proposed service could be renamed Channel Punjabi, which sounds similar to Channel Punjabi Television, the name of its existing Category B service. However, since Commission approval is not required with respect to the renaming of a licensed service, the Commission notes that it has not taken into account CPTI’s intervention in its examination of the present application.
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.
8. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Channel Punjabi Broadcasting Corporation for a broadcasting licence to operate the national, niche English- and third-language ethnic specialty Category B service Asian Connections Television. The Commission also approves the applicant’s request for authority to broadcast up to six minutes per hour of local advertising. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.
Reminder
9. The Commission reminds the applicant that the 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
- 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.
Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-522
Terms, conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for the specialty Category B service Asian Connections Television
Terms
A licence will be issued once the applicant has satisfied the Commission with supporting documentation that the following requirements have been met:
- the applicant has entered into a distribution agreement with at least one licensed distributor; and
- the applicant has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations and has provided the Commission with a launch date for the service. The undertaking must be operational at the earliest possible date and in any event no later than 48 months from the date of this decision.
The licence will expire 31 August 2019.
Conditions of licence
1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions set out in Appendix 1 to 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, except for condition 7d), which will not apply, and condition 7a), which is replaced by the following:
Except as otherwise provided in subparagraphs b) and c), the licensee shall not broadcast more than twelve (12) minutes of advertising material during each clock hour, no more than six (6) minutes of which may consist of local advertising.
For the purposes of this condition of licence, “local advertising” is advertising that does not fall within the definitions of national and regional advertising, i.e., advertising to persons who provide goods or services in more than one market and/or province.
2. In regard to the nature of service:
(a) The licensee shall provide a national, niche English- and third-language ethnic specialty Category B service that will be devoted to traditional South Asian religion, entertainment, news and a variety of community events. The programming will target a younger audience and will focus mostly on fashion and magazine-style programs. It will also be dedicated to health, exercise, lifestyle, sports, talk shows, music and events such as the Country Music Awards, Juno Awards and Vancouver Fashion Week.
(b) The programming shall be drawn exclusively 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 News
2 (b) Long-form documentary
3 Reporting and actualities
4 Religion
5 (a) Formal education and pre-school
(b) Informal education/Recreation and leisure
6 (a) Professional sports
(b) Amateur sports
7 (a) Ongoing dramatic series
(b) Ongoing comedy series (sitcoms)
(c) Specials, mini-series or made-for-TV feature films
(d) Theatrical feature films aired on TV
(e) Animated television programs and films
(f) Programs of comedy sketches, improvisation, unscripted works, stand-up
comedy
8 (b) Music video clips
(c) Music video programs
9 Variety
10 Game shows
11 (a) General entertainment and human interest
13 Public service announcements
(c) Of all the programming broadcast in each broadcast day, the licensee shall broadcast 60% in the English language, 30% in the Punjabi language and 10% in the Hindi language.
3. The service approved hereby is designated as a Category B service.
For the purposes of the conditions of this licence, “broadcast day” refers to the 24-hour period beginning each day at 6 a.m. or any other period approved by the Commission.
Expectations
The standard expectations applicable to this licensee are set out in Appendix 1 to 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, as amended from time to time.
Encouragements
The standard encouragements applicable to this licensee are set out in Appendix 1 to 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, as amended from time to time.
The Commission encourages the licensee to ensure that the portion of the service’s program schedule that is broadcast in the English and/or French languages serves to promote Canada’s linguistic duality.
[1] “Local advertising” is advertising that does not fall within the definition of national or regional advertising, i.e., advertising to persons who provide goods or services in more than one market and/or province.
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