Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2016-146

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Reference: 2016-30

Ottawa, 21 April 2016

Amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, and the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, relating to target audience markers

The Commission announces that it has made amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, and the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990 (collectively, the Regulations) to update the target audience markers found in Item 5 of Schedule I to the Regulations.

Licensees use the target audience markers when filling out the program logs they submit to the Commission. The new target audience markers will allow the Commission to monitor more effectively the amount of Canadian children’s and youth programming available in the Canadian broadcasting system.

These amendments will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, and will come into force on the date of their registration.

Introduction

1. In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2016-30, the Commission called for comments on proposed amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, and the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990 (collectively, the Regulations) to update the target audience markers found in Item 5 of Schedule I to the Regulations.
2. In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2015-86, the Commission stated that it intends to track children’s and youth programming more closely. In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2015-323, the Commission set out its approach for achieving this objective. As part of this approach and to ensure consistency in the reporting of the amount of television programming available for various age demographics, the Commission announced new target audience markers based on age. Licensees use these markers when filling out the program logs they submit to the Commission.

Interventions

3. The Commission received comments from Shaw Rocket Fund and DHX Television in response to Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2016-30. Shaw Rocket Fund suggested that an additional marker should be added for family programming. Shaw Rocket Fund and DHX Television also provided comments that are beyond the scope of this proceeding relating to how the Commission should eventually use the information gathered from the new markers. The public record for this proceeding is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca.

Commission’s analysis and decision

4. With respect to the addition of a marker for family programming, in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2015-323, the Commission stated that the amendments to the target audience markers would eliminate overlaps in target audience age. The target audience markers would then be a more accurate tool for the purpose of monitoring the amount of children’s and youth programming in the Canadian broadcasting system. The addition of another marker for family programming as suggested by the Shaw Rocket Fund would not be consistent with the Commission’s intent in making these amendments and would not contribute to the Commission’s stated goals.
5. Further, the introduction of such a marker may cause confusion among licensees, as it would undercut the focus of the remaining markers on mutually exclusive age ranges. The Commission will therefore not add an additional target audience marker to the markers it proposed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2016-30.

Conclusion

6. In light of the above, the Commission announces that it has made amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, and the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990,to update the target audience markers found in Item 5 of Schedule I to the Regulations.
7. The amendments will come into effect on the date of their registration. A copy of the amendments is provided in the appendix to this regulatory policy and will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Call for comments on amendments to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, and the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, relating to target audience markers,Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2016-30, 28 January 2016
• New methods to monitor the amount of Canadian children’s and youth television programming and the expenditures on such programming in the Canadian broadcasting system, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-323, 21 July 2015
• Let’s Talk TV: The way forward - Creating compelling and diverse Canadian programming, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-86, 12 March 2015

Appendix to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2016-146

Regulations amending the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987, the Pay Television Regulations, 1990, and the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990

TELEVISION BROADCASTING REGULATIONS, 1987

1. Item 5 of Schedule I to the Television Broadcasting Regulations, 1987^{Footnote 1}is replaced by the following:

PAY TELEVISION REGULATIONS, 1990

2. Item 5 of Schedule I to the Pay Television Regulations, 1990^{Footnote 2}is replaced by the following:

SPECIALTY SERVICES REGULATIONS, 1990

3. Item 5 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990^{Footnote 3}is replaced by the following:

COMING INTO FORCE

4. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.

Date modified:

2016-04-21