Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-124

PDF version

Reference: Part 1 application posted on 1 February 2016

Ottawa, 5 April 2016

TerraTerra Communications Inc.
Across Canada

Application 2016-0109-7

Addition of France 24 Arabic to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution

The Commission approves an application to add France 24 Arabic to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution (the list), and amends the list accordingly. The revised list can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca, by clicking on "TV & Radio," "Programming" and "Access to programs on TV that aren’t Canadian."

Application

1. The Commission received an application from TerraTerra Communications Inc. (TerraTerra), acting as the Canadian sponsor, to add France 24 Arabic, a non-Canadian third-language service, to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution (the list). The Commission did not receive any comments in regard to this application.
2. TerraTerra described France 24 Arabic as a news service (100% Arabic-language) that originates from France and provides news and current affairs programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Its target audience would be the Arabic-speaking community in Canada.

Commission’s analysis and decision

3. In Broadcasting Public Notices 2004-96 and 2008-100, the Commission stated that requests to add non-Canadian general interest third-language services to the list would generally be approved, subject to any requirement it deemed appropriate. However, as set out in Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, the Commission has retained a competitiveness test, which precludes the addition of a non-Canadian service that can be considered totally or partially competitive with Canadian discretionary (i.e., pay or specialty) television services. The Commission’s approach also takes into consideration whether the service would violate Canadian regulations, including those regarding abusive comment. Non-Canadian third-language services that provide narrowly targeted or "niche" programming are subject to the same approach as non-Canadian general interest third-language 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.
5. In the absence of opposing interventions and any evidence that the service would violate Canadian regulations, the Commission approves the application by TerraTerra Communications Inc. to add France 24 Arabic to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution and amends the list accordingly. The revised list can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca by clicking on "TV & Radio," "Programming" and "Access to programs on TV that aren’t Canadian," and may be obtained in hard copy on request.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Regulatory frameworks for broadcasting distribution undertakings and discretionary programming services – Regulatory policy, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-100, 30 October 2008
• Improving the diversity of third-language television services – A revised approach to assessing requests to add non-Canadian third-language television services to the lists of eligible satellite services for distribution on a digital basis, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2004-96, 16 December 2004

Date modified:

2016-04-05