ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Procedural Letter addressed to David Spodek (Bell Media Inc.)
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Ottawa, 13 July 2015
By E-mail
David.spodek@bellmedia.ca
Dear Mr. Spodek,
Re: 2015-0625-5 and 2015-0636-2 – Applications to amend the nature of service conditions of licence for ESPN Classic and RDS Info
On 18 June 2015, Bell Media Inc. (Bell) applied to amend the nature of service conditions of licence relating to 33 of its services, including those of ESPN Classic and RDS Info.
ESPN Classic
In application 2015-0625-5, Bell requested to delete ESPN Classic’s condition of licence 2a), which states:
The licensee shall provide a national English-language specialty Category B service dedicated to showcasing some of the world’s greatest sporting moments and the momentous impact these events had on our lives. The service shall provide a retrospective on sports events that occurred at least 6 months prior to the broadcast day on which they are aired by the service.
As well, Bell requested to delete ESPN Classic’s condition of licence 2e), which states:
The licensee shall not provide any live event coverage.
In addition, Bell requested the addition of the following condition of licence, which was set out in paragraph 253 of Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-86 (The Create policy):
The licensee shall broadcast no more than a maximum of 10% of live professional sports programming in each broadcast month.
- ESPN Classic’s conditions of licence 2a) and 2e) have the effect of ensuring that the service does not morph into a mainstream sports service Paragraph 253 of the Create Policy states that the Commission will retain limitations with respect to mainstream sports and that licensees that choose to operate in these types of services are required to meet, among other things, higher CPE requirements. In the event that the Commission does grant your request to delete conditions of licence 2a) and 2e), please indicate what safeguards Bell will put in place to ensure that ESPN Classic does not morph into a mainstream sports service.
RDS Info
In application 2015-0636-2, Bell requested to remove RDS Info’s condition of licence 2a), which states:
The licensee shall provide a national French-language specialty Category A service consisting essentially of professional, amateur, local, regional, national and international sports news, updated every 15 minutes.
In addition, Bell requested to delete RDS Info’s condition of licence 2h), i) and j), which state:
2h)The broadcast of live sporting events shall be limited to events that are not covered live by other French-language conventional television stations or specialty services.
2i) The licensee shall interrupt its live coverage of sporting events every 15 minutes to present sports highlights and results, as well as sports news, through the insertion of audio and video components.
2j) Except when broadcasting live sporting events, the licensee shall at all times display sports results and news on a part of the screen.
Staff notes that Bell is not seeking to delete condition of licence 2g) which states:
2g) No more than 15% of all programming broadcast during each broadcast week shall be devoted to the live broadcast of sporting events.
RDS Info’s conditions of licence 2a), 2h), 2i) and 2j) have the effect of ensuring that the service does not morph into a mainstream sports service.
As paragraph 253 of the Create policy sets out, discretionary services that wish to offer sports programming are limited to a maximum of 10% live professional sports or are subject to the requirements of mainstream sports services. Staff notes that this is 5% less than is set out in RDS Info’s condition of licence 2g).
- In the event that the Commission does grant your request to delete conditions of licence 2a), 2h), 2i) and 2j), please indicate what safeguards Bell will put in place to ensure that RDS Info does not morph into a mainstream sports service.
- Please comment on the possibility of RDS Info being limited to the broadcast of 10% of professional sports as opposed to its current condition of licence permitting 15% live professional sports.
Please respond to the questions above by no later than 21 July 2015.
RDS Info revised appendix
Commission staff also notes that Bell provided an amended version of its appendix for RDS Info on 30 June 2015, which included an additional amendment request to delete condition of licence 12.
As a result of staff’s questions and the inclusion of a new amendment request, the timetable for this proceeding is changed as follows:
- Interventions relating to Bell’s application may be filed by no later than 5 August 2015 instead of 27 July 2015.
- Bell’s may file its reply comments, if applicable, by no later than 17 August 2015.
The Commission will consider the entirety of the record, including the application as it is presently filed, in due course.
Should you need further information concerning this procedural letter, please do not hesitate to contact Tracy Speigel at 819-997-5984 or tracy.speigel@crtc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Sheehan Carter
Senior Manager
English and third-language television
- Date modified: