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ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2015-50

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Route reference: Part 1 application posted on 21 November 2014

Ottawa, 18 February 2015

Soundview Entertainment Inc.
Across Canada

Application 2014-1165-2

Addition of AFRICA24 to the List of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution

The Commission approves an application to add AFRICA24 to the List of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution (the list) and amends the list accordingly. The revised list is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca, by clicking on “TV & Radio” and selecting “Programming.”

Introduction

  1. The Commission received an application from Soundview Entertainment Inc. (Soundview), acting as the Canadian sponsor, to add AFRICA24 to the List of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution (the list). The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.
  2. Soundview described AFRICA24 as a 24-hour Pan-African news channel (100% French-language) providing in-depth news coverage and human interest stories relating to the African continent in addition to other programming. Its target audience is French-speaking African-Canadians and those with a general interest in news, politics, economics and programming exclusively focused on the African continent. The service originates from the United States with its programming coming from Paris, France.
  3. The Commission’s general approach to the addition of non-Canadian English- and French-language services to the list is set out in Public Notice 2000-173, and reiterated in Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100. Under this approach, the Commission assesses such requests in the context of its general policy, which, among other things, precludes the addition of a non-Canadian service that can be considered either totally or partially competitive with Canadian specialty or pay television services.
  4. In regard to non-Canadian news services, however, the Commission considers a more open-entry approach to be consistent with the importance it places on a diversity of editorial points of view. Consequently, in Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, the Commission stated that absent clear evidence, as determined by the Commission, that a non-Canadian news service will violate Canadian regulations, such as those regarding abusive comment, the Commission will be predisposed to authorize non-Canadian news services for distribution in Canada.

Commission’s analysis and decision

  1. In the absence of opposing interventions and any evidence that the service would violate Canadian regulations, the Commission approves the application by Soundview Entertainment Inc. to add AFRICA24 to the List of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution and amends the list accordingly. The revised list is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca by clicking on “TV & Radio” and selecting “Programming,” and may be obtained in hard copy on request.

Secretary General

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