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Route reference: 2013-19

Additional references: 2013-19-1, 2013-19-3 and 2013-19-4

Ottawa, 8 August 2013

ZoomerMedia Limited
Across Canada

Application 2012-1190-4, received 13 September 2012
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
23 April 2013

VisionTV – Licence renewal

The Commission renews the broadcasting licence for the national English-language specialty Category A service VisionTV from 1 September 2013 to 31 August 2020. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in Appendix 1 to this decision. VisionTV provides its viewers with relevant and informative multi-faith programming that they typically would not obtain on other services, thereby contributing to the diversity of the Canadian broadcasting system.

Introduction

1. ZoomerMedia Limited (ZoomerMedia) filed an application to renew the broadcasting licence for the national English-language specialty Category A service^[1] visiontv, which expires 31 august 2013.^[2]

2. The Commission received several supporting interventions and some comments concerning the application. The comments related to VisionTV’s continued contributions to the diversity of the Canadian broadcasting system and its commitment to the licensing of new Canadian documentaries in the next licence term. These issues are discussed further below. The public record for this proceeding can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings.”

3. VisionTV is a national, English-language multi-faith and multicultural specialty service dedicated to programming that promotes understanding and tolerance among people of different faiths and cultures. By reason of its nature of this service, VisionTV consciously and consistently offers programming relevant to older Canadians, thereby contributing to the diversity of the Canadian broadcasting system.

4. As part of its licence renewal application, the licensee submitted a number of scenarios with varying commitments, depending on whether the Commission would grant or deny its request for mandatory distribution. The licensee indicated that if its request for mandatory distribution were denied, it would no longer be able to sustain its current regulatory obligations since broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) would most likely relocate VisionTV from its current position on the basic service to lower penetration tiers. It submitted different sets of commitments: 1) should it obtain mandatory distribution, 2) should VisionTV be relocated to a digital discretionary package with fewer subscribers and 3) should VisionTV be distributed on the basic service with a wholesale rate negotiated down to zero.

5. In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2013-372, also issued today, the Commission denied the licensee’s request for mandatory distribution. However, in that policy, the Commission also noted that VisionTV has been offered on basic for several years and that its audience has come to expect that VisionTV can be accessed on a relatively easy and affordable basis. Over the course of the hearing, the Commission understood from various BDUs that changes to a programming service’s placement or packaging, especially one that has been historically provided on basic such as Vision TV, does not constitute a good business practice given that it would disrupt Canadians’ viewing habits. Based on the preceding, the Commission stated that it would be concerned if VisionTV ceased to be offered as part of the basic service without sound justification.

6. The Commission takes note of the licensee’s description of the challenges it has been facing up to now with its negotiations with the BDUs for new affiliation agreements. Nonetheless, in the Commission’s view, there is little evidence at this point to suggest that VisionTV will necessarily be relocated to lower penetration tiers as a result of the Commission’s denial of VisionTV’s application for mandatory distribution. In fact, the Commission notes that such an assumption by the applicant does not take into account the fact that VisionTV has been distributed on the basic service of most BDUs for over 25 years, the large number of supporting interventions requesting its continued distribution on the basic service and the submission of BDUs at the public hearing that they tend to avoid changes to the packages they offer in order to minimize customer disruptions. The Commission further notes that since the negotiations will be finalized only after the issuance of this decision, there is uncertainty as to what the service’s distribution terms and conditions will be over its next licence term.

7. Based on the above, the Commission considers it appropriate to provide some relief with respect to a number of regulatory obligations to allow the licensee to continue to make an important contribution to the Canadian broadcasting system. Accordingly, the Commission is of the view that some regulatory flexibility should be provided to VisionTV as it renegotiates its affiliation agreements with BDUs. Consequently, the Commission finds that the regulatory commitments the applicant proposed should VisionTV be relocated to a digital discretionary package with fewer subscribers are the most appropriate given its findings in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2013-372 as summarized above.

8. The Commission notes that should VisionTV be relocated to a digital discretionary package with fewer subscribers, the licensee proposed changes to a number of VisionTV’s current regulatory obligations, including:

• a reduction to the percentage of programming drawn from category 4 Religion;
• a reduction to the Canadian program expenditure (CPE) requirement;
• elimination of the requirement to expend 25% of the previous year’s revenues generated from $0.04 of the total wholesale rate on Canadian production;
• a reduction to the amount of Canadian programming broadcast during the broadcast day; and
• amendments to commitments regarding advertising, solicitation of funds, reporting and accessibility requirements.

9. The licensee also proposed the following new commitments:

• to broadcast 155 hours per year of original Canadian programming (with the current wholesale rate); or
• to broadcast 387 hours per year of original Canadian programming (with a reduced wholesale rate);^[3] and
• to commission 62 hours of Canadian documentaries per year.

10. Finally, the licensee confirmed that it would adhere to the standard conditions of licence for Category A services set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2011-443, with the exception of the conditions of licence regarding adult programming and audio and video description of programming.

Commission’s analysis and decisions

Exhibition of Canadian programming during the broadcast day

11. The licensee must currently devote at least 65% of the broadcast day and 50% of the evening broadcast period to Canadian programming. The licensee proposed to reduce the minimum level of Canadian programming during the broadcast day to 60%. It argued that without distribution on the basic service, VisionTV would no longer be in a position to meet a 65% level of Canadian programming due to the production costs involved.

12. The Commission considers that an exhibition level of 60% during the broadcast day is appropriate for VisionTV and compares favourably with other specialty Category A services. This slight reduction will provide VisionTV with the flexibility it needs to continue to provide quality Canadian programming relevant to its audience. Accordingly, the Commission approves the licensee’s request to reduce the minimum level of Canadian programming during the broadcast day to 60%. A condition of licence to that effect is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

Broadcast of original Canadian programming

13. In its response to undertakings made at the public hearing, the licensee committed to broadcast 155 hours of original Canadian programming each broadcast year at VisionTV’s current wholesale rate or 387 hours of original Canadian programming each broadcast year at a reduced wholesale rate.  

14. It is apparent to the Commission that VisionTV is seeking a significant reduction in the number of hours of original Canadian programming to be broadcast over the next licence term when compared to the average of 1,884 hours a year that was broadcast during the current licence term. Moreover, the Commission notes that VisionTV achieved these levels without any specific condition of licence to this effect.

15. Given VisionTV’s intent to significantly reduce its historical levels of original Canadian programming, the Commission considers that it is necessary to impose a condition of licence that will ensure that VisionTV continues to broadcast a minimum number of hours of original Canadian programming in the next licence term. As noted above, the proposed level of 387 hours of original Canadian programming represents a significant reduction when compared to its current annual average of 1,884 hours of original Canadian programming per year. In light of this and the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of upcoming negotiations of new affiliation agreements, the Commission considers that it is appropriate to impose a condition of licence requiring the broadcast of at least 387 hours of original Canadian programming in each broadcast year. A condition of licence to that effect is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

Programming drawn from category 4 Religion

16. VisionTV is currently required to ensure that at least 90% of its programming is drawn from category 4 Religion. However, due to issues with the manner in which programs are categorized in its program logs, VisionTV at times appears to be in non-compliance with this requirement. The licensee stated that it is highly committed to its existing nature of service; however, it considered that it would be appropriate to reduce the percentage of programming that must be drawn from category 4 to 75% to address the administrative burden associated with ensuring its ongoing compliance with this requirement. The licensee indicated that this amendment would not change the faith-based nature of VisionTV.

17. The Commission notes that based on the compliance evaluations of the program logs and other information submitted by the licensee for broadcast years 2008 to 2011, VisionTV appears to be in compliance with its requirement to broadcast at least 90% of programming drawn from program category 4. However, to address the licensee’s administrative burden associated with the filing of additional information confirming its compliance with this requirement and since the licensee must by condition of licence abide by the nature of service definition for VisionTV, the Commission considers that it would be appropriate to approve the licensee’s request to decrease the minimum percentage of programming that must be drawn from category 4 from 90% to 75%. The Commission notes that at 75% the licensee will still be required to broadcast a significant amount of religious programming, which will ensure that VisionTV remains primarily a religious television service that continues to serve multi-faith communities. Accordingly, the Commission approves the licensee’s request. A condition of licence to that effect is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

18. In light of this change, the Commission reminds the licensee that it expects it to be in compliance at all times. The Commission will show little tolerance for non-compliance.

Commissioning of Canadian documentaries

19. The licensee committed to commission 62 hours a year of Canadian documentaries if its request for mandatory distribution were approved. It did not make any commitment in that regard if it were not to receive mandatory distribution.

20. The Commission notes the concern expressed by the Documentary Organization of Canada in its intervention with respect to the licensee’s commitment to the licensing of new Canadian documentaries for the next licence term. Further, a number of independent producers submitted supporting interventions for VisionTV’s applications (mandatory distribution order and licence renewal) and made specific reference to the fact that it is the only Canadian broadcaster that commissions point-of-view documentaries. For its part, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists indicated that VisionTV plays an important role in the financial health of Canada’s domestic production industry by commissioning programming from independent producers.

21. The Commission notes that even a commitment of 62 hours represents a reduction in the number of hours of original Canadian documentaries that would be commissioned by VisionTV over a seven-year licence term (a total of 434 hours) when compared to the 560 hours that were commissioned during the current licence term. The Commission considers it important that the licensee continue to commission a minimum number of original Canadian documentaries over the next licence term. Accordingly, as set out in Appendix 1 to this decision, the Commission expects the licensee to commission no fewer than 62 hours of original Canadian documentaries in each broadcast year for the next licence term.

Canadian program expenditures  

22. VisionTV is currently required to devote 47% of the previous year’s gross revenues to CPE. The licensee indicated in its undertakings submitted during the public hearing that if VisionTV was relocated to the extended basic service, it would need to lower its CPE to 25% of the previous year’s gross revenues to meet its spending obligations. This level is based on the following assumptions: 60% subscriber penetration, an average wholesale fee of $0.105 per subscriber per month, advertising at 40% of the current levels and air-time sales for Mosaic programs at 40% of the current rates.

23.  The Commission notes that the median CPE for Category A services is approximately 40% of the previous year’s gross revenues. Only six Category A services currently have CPE requirements lower than 30%. The Commission also notes that while it has reduced the CPE requirements of services recently, such as in the context of the group-based licence renewals for private English-language television services, these reductions were almost exclusively the result of no longer considering the Canada Media Fund (CMF) licence-fee top-up^[4] as an eligible CPE.

24.  As indicated above, the Commission is of the view that there are no indications at this point in time that VisionTV currently faces or will face in the near future major distribution challenges. Further, the Commission notes that service has generally been profitable in recent years such that there is no apparent economic need to justify the extent of the CPE reduction that is requested by VisionTV.

25.  The Commission notes that excluding the CMF licence-fee top-up from VisionTV’s current CPE would reduce its level to 41%. The requirement will ensure that Vision continues to finance Canadian programming at an appropriate level so that Canadian audiences have access to this programming. Further, the revised CPE at 41% will better align VisionTV’s expenditure requirements with those of the larger vertically integrated companies, allowing it to compete on the same footing so that it may provide Canadians with continued access to a diversity of voices in the Canadian broadcasting system. A condition of licence to that effect is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

26. In addition to the CPE requirement discussed above, the licensee must currently devote 25% of its previous year’s revenues generated from $0.04 of the total wholesale rate to the creation or acquisition of Canadian programming in each broadcast year. The licensee indicated in its application that its current CPE represents a significant commitment to Canadian programming and that the additional 25% expenditure generated from $0.04 of its per subscriber revenue is no longer feasible given the inflationary effect on the rate.

27. The Commission notes that this condition of licence was imposed on VisionTV in the context of an approval of an increase to its regulated basic wholesale rate in 2003.^[5] The objective of the condition of licence was to ensure that a portion of the increase to the wholesale rate would be spent on the creation or acquisition of Canadian programming.

28. Since the Commission has denied the licensee’s application for mandatory distribution and no longer sets wholesale rates other than those for services with mandatory distribution on basic, the rationale and need for this condition of licence no longer exists. Accordingly, the Commission approves the licensee’s request to delete this requirement.

Other amendments

Broadcast of additional minutes of advertising material and removal of the limit on the solicitation of funds in Mosaic programming

29. The licensee is currently authorized to broadcast a maximum of 12 minutes of advertising in each clock hour. It argued that an authorization to broadcast additional minutes of advertising calculated in accordance with the incentives for English-language Canadian television drama set out in Broadcasting Public Notice 2004-93 would provide potentially more opportunities to monetize its service. It added that other specialty services belonging to the large ownership groups have obtained approval of this same request.

30. The Commission notes that it has approved the same request for all Category A and B services that broadcast drama programming owned by the large ownership groups either as part of the group-based licence renewal proceedings or further to subsequent requests. The Commission considers it appropriate to treat VisionTV in the same manner as others and thus it approves the same request for VisionTV. A condition of licence to this effect is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

31. The solicitation of funds in Mosaic programming is currently limited to no more than 90 seconds per half-hour, and no accumulation is permitted. The licensee argued that with limited distribution of VisionTV, Mosaic producer partners will have difficulty in selling advertising time due to limited audiences and that the producer partners will be forced to rely more heavily on solicitation to cover production costs. It also noted that Canadian over-the-air religious television stations have no limits on the amount of time devoted to the solicitation of funds that they may broadcast.

32. The Commission notes that the applicant is correct that Canadian over-the-air religious television stations have no limits on the amount of time devoted to the solicitation of funds. Accordingly, to treat all religious broadcasters in an equitable manner, it approves the licensee’s request to remove the limit on the solicitation of funds in Mosaic programming.

33. The authorization to broadcast additional minutes of advertising and the removal of the limit on the solicitation of funds will allow the licensee to recover some of the shortfalls that it may incur as a result of its less stringent distribution status. This should allow the licensee greater financial flexibility to meet its regulatory obligations.

Duration of the solicitation of funds in program logs

34. The licensee must currently provide the time of commencement and duration of each solicitation of funds in its program logs. In light of the decision to remove the limit on solicitation of funds in Mosaic programming, this requirement is no longer necessary. Accordingly, the Commission approves the licensee’s request to eliminate this condition of licence.

Faiths represented by the members of the board of directors enumerated in the annual report on Mosaic and Cornerstone programming

35. As part of its annual report on Mosaic and Cornerstone programming, the licensee must provide an enumeration of the faiths represented by the members of the board of directors. The licensee argued that since VisionTV is now owned by a publicly traded company and this information is highly sensitive confidential information, it is no longer necessary or appropriate to include it in the annual report.

36. The Commission notes that when VisionTV was first approved in Decision 87-900, the licensee was a not-for-profit corporation operated and managed by a nine-member board that had to be made up of representatives of at least three of the world religions active in Canada. The purpose of reporting the faiths represented by the members of the board as part of its annual report was to preclude the possible domination of the board by one religious viewpoint. The Commission notes that the intent of the overall annual report is to demonstrate that VisionTV has reflected a range of Canadian religious beliefs through its Mosaic and Cornerstone programming. The Commission is of the view that the annual report will continue to serve this purpose without details on the faith background of the service’s board. Therefore, it approves the licensee’s request and has amended condition of licence 7 as set out in Appendix 1 to this decision to reflect this change.

Exception to the standard conditions of licence regarding audio and video description

37. The standard requirement for described video is four hours per week for licensees that broadcast 50% or more of programming drawn from categories 7 Drama and comedy or 2(b) Long-form documentary. The licensee is currently required to broadcast three hours of described video programming a week and is expected to provide audio description of key textual and graphic information displayed on-screen to the extent possible. The licensee submitted that an exception to the standard condition of licence for described video would be appropriate since VisionTV’s programming is devoted to multi-faith programming. It noted that the threshold used for programming drawn from program categories 7 or 2(b) should not apply to its programming. Accordingly, it proposed to maintain its existing requirement to broadcast three hours of described video programming each week.

38. The Commission notes that VisionTV does not broadcast 50% or more of programming from the above-noted program categories. Therefore, imposing the standard condition of licence would essentially have the effect of eliminating its current requirement to offer three hours each week of described video programming. Accordingly, the Commission maintains VisionTV’s current requirement to broadcast three hours of described video programming each week for the next licence term. A condition of licence to this effect is set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

39. The Commission notes that the standard condition of licence for audio description is applicable to the broadcast of news and information programming that generally displays key textual and graphic information onscreen. This standard condition of licence applies to all Category A and B services. While the licensee currently does not broadcast material that would be subject to the audio description standards, the Commission denies its request for an exception. Accordingly, the standard condition of licence relating to audio description will apply.

Standard condition of licence regarding the broadcast of adult programming

40. The licensee argued that imposing the standard condition of licence regarding the broadcast of adult programming was irrelevant in the case of VisionTV since it does not broadcast such programming. The Commission agrees. Accordingly, in imposing condition of licence 1 in Appendix 1 to this decision, it has noted this exception.

Standard conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for specialty and pay television Category A services

41. As noted above, the licensee confirmed that it would abide by the standard conditions of licence for Category A services set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2011-443, with the exception of the conditions of licence regarding adult programming and audio and video description of programming. Given the above, the standard requirements applicable to specialty Category A services are set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

Program logs

42. Section 7(2) of the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990 (the Regulations) states that except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee shall furnish to the Commission, within 30 days after the end of each month, the program log or machine-readable record of its programming for the month.

43. The Commission reminds ZoomerMedia that according to the Regulations, the logs shall at all times be kept in an acceptable form, which means that they must be accurate, exact and precise.

44. The Commission will provide an annual assessment of the licensee’s compliance with its regulatory requirements. This evaluation will be sent to the licensee before the end of the broadcast year following the year being evaluated. This will allow the licensee to verify that it is in compliance with its requirements for the year being evaluated.

45. It is important that ZoomerMedia ensure that its program logs are accurate throughout the year because the Commission will not re-evaluate the licensee’s compliance for the year in question.

Conclusion

46. In light of all of the above, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence for the national English-language specialty Category A service VisionTV from 1 September 2013 to 31 August 2020. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in Appendix 1 to this decision.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Applications for mandatory distribution on cable and satellite under section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2013-372, 8 August 2013
• Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for specialty and pay television Category A services, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-443, 27 July 2011
• Administrative renewals, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-417, 12 July 2011
• Regulatory frameworks for broadcasting distribution undertakings and discretionary programming services – Regulatory policy, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-100, 30 October 2008
• Incentives for English-language Canadian television drama, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-93, 29 November 2004
• Application for an increase in VisionTV’s wholesale rate, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-23, 24 January 2003
• Decision CRTC 87-900, 1 December 1987

*This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-393

Terms, conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for the national English-language specialty Category A service VisionTV

Terms

The licence will take effect 1 September 2013 and expire 31 August 2020.

Conditions of licence

1. The licensee shall adhere to the standard conditions of licence for specialty Category A services set out in Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for specialty and pay television Category A services, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-443, 27 July 2011, as amended from time to time, with the exception of conditions of licence 7 (video description) and 12 (adult programming).

2. As regards the nature of service:

(a) The licensee shall provide a national English-language specialty Category A service devoted to interfaith religious programming that is related to, inspired by or arises from persons’ spirituality, including related moral or ethical issues.

(b) The licensee shall devote at least 75% of its programming to programming drawn from category 4 Religion, as set out in item 6 of Schedule 1 to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time.

(c) The licensee shall devote at least 45% of the total hours broadcast in any one broadcast year to the exhibition of Cornerstone programming.

(d) The licensee may draw programming from all the categories set out in item 6 of Schedule 1 to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time.

3. In each broadcast year, the licensee shall devote at least 60% of the broadcast day and 50% of the evening broadcast period to the broadcast of Canadian programs.

4. The licensee shall broadcast at least 387 hours of original Canadian programming in each broadcast year.

5. As regards Canadian program expenditures:

(a) In each broadcast year, the licensee shall devote 41% of the previous year’s gross revenues of the undertaking to the acquisition of or investment in Canadian programming;

(b) In each broadcast year of the licence term, excluding the final year, the licensee may expend an amount on Canadian programming that is up to 5% less than the minimum required expenditure for that year calculated in accordance with this condition; in such case, the licensee shall expend in the next year of the licence term, in addition to the minimum required expenditure for that year, the full amount of the previous year’s under-expenditure.

(c) In each broadcast year of the licence term where the licensee expends an amount on Canadian programming that is greater than the minimum required expenditure for that year calculated in accordance with this condition, the licensee may deduct:

(i)  from the minimum required expenditure for the following year of the licence term, an amount not exceeding the amount of the previous year’s over-expenditure; and

(ii) from the minimum required expenditure for any subsequent broadcast year of the licence term, an amount not exceeding the difference between the over-expenditure and any amount deducted under (i) above.

(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b) and (c) above, during the licence term, the licensee shall expend on Canadian programming, at a minimum, the total of the minimum required expenditures calculated in accordance with this condition of licence.

6. The licensee shall maintain over the licence term a Mosaic Program Management Group with the terms of reference, membership and mandate set out below and in Appendix 2 of this decision.

7. The licensee shall file a report with the Commission on or before 30 November of each year:

(a) describing how VisionTV has reflected, over the 12-month period ending the preceding 31 August, the range of Canadian religious beliefs, including a list of the groups that have purchased Mosaic time and the amount of time each has purchased;

(b) providing a breakdown of the Cornerstone and Mosaic programming distributed on VisionTV over the 12-month period ending the preceding 31 August; and

(c) providing a description of the membership and activities of the Mosaic Program Management Group over the 12-month period ending the preceding 31 August.

8. For the purpose of fulfilling the Canadian programming expenditure requirement, the licensee may not include any expenditure related to programming that has been funded out of the benefits package approved by the Commission with respect to ZoomerMedia Limited’s acquisition of the assets of VisionTV, as set out in Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2010-193, 30 March 2010.

9. In accordance with its commitment, the licensee shall file with the Commission, concurrently with the annual returns, annual reports setting out the details of all expenditures related to the tangible benefits associated with the acquisition of assets of VisionTV by ZoomerMedia Limited.

10. As regards the broadcast of advertising material:

(a) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraphs (b) and (c) and in condition of licence 11, the licensee shall not broadcast more than 12 minutes of advertising material during each clock hour.

(b) Where a program occupies time in two or more consecutive clock hours, the licensee may exceed the maximum number of minutes of advertising material allowed in those clock hours if the average number of minutes of advertising material in the clock hours occupied by the program does not exceed the maximum number of minutes that would otherwise be allowed per clock hour.

(c) In addition to the 12 minutes of advertising material referred to in subparagraph (a), the licensee may broadcast partisan political advertising during an election period.

(d) The licensee shall not broadcast any paid advertising material other than paid national advertising.

(e) All solicitation of funds on VisionTV must conform to the provisions of the licensee’s Code of Ethics and Program Practices, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission, subject to the limitations as to time set out in this condition. However, the application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended if the licensee is a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.

(f) The solicitation of funds in Cornerstone programming shall comprise no more than 90 seconds per half-hour and no accumulation shall be permitted.

11. In addition to the 12 minutes of advertising material during any clock hour in a broadcast day permitted by condition of licence 10, the licensee may broadcast such additional minutes of advertising material calculated in accordance with Incentives for English-language Canadian television drama, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-93, 29 November 2004, as may be amended from time to time.

12. The licensee shall broadcast three hours of described video programming in each broadcast week.

13. The service renewed hereby is designated as a Category A service.

Definitions

For the purposes of these conditions of licence:

All time zone periods shall be reckoned according to the eastern time zone.

The terms “broadcast day,” “broadcast year,” “evening broadcast period” and “clock hour” shall have the same meanings as set out in the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987.

The term “paid national advertising” shall mean advertising material that is purchased at a national rate and which receives national distribution on the service as defined under the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990.

“Cornerstone programming” shall mean general interfaith programs produced or acquired by the licensee itself, while “Mosaic programming” shall mean paid-time denominational presentations produced or acquired at arm’s length by various faith groups. Where Cornerstone programming and Mosaic programming are logged, the program classes used must be “COR” and “MOS” respectively.

Expectations

The standard expectations applicable to this licensee are set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for specialty and pay television services, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-443, 27 July 2011, as amended from time to time.

The licensee is expected to commission 62 hours of original Canadian documentaries in each broadcast year.

Encouragements

The standard encouragements applicable to this licensee are set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for specialty and pay television services, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-443, 27 July 2011, as amended from time to time.

Footnotes