Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2018-412

Ottawa, 2 November 2018

Ethnic Channels Group Limited
Across Canada

Application 2018-0214-0, received 3 April 2018

Travel XP Canada – Revocation of licence

Ethnic Channels Group Limited (ECGL) has requested the revocation of its broadcasting licence for the national, niche third-language ethnic specialty Category B service Travel XP Canada, originally granted in Broadcasting Decision 2014-167, to continue its operation as an exempt undertaking, pursuant to Broadcasting Order 2015-88.
Given the licensee’s request, pursuant to section 9(1)(e) of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), the Commission revokes the broadcasting licence issued to Ethnic Channels Group Limited for the above-mentioned undertaking.

ECGL was late filing its annual returns and program logs throughout its licence term. Consequently, it was in non-compliance with sections 7(2) and 8(1) of the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990 relating to the filing of annual returns and program logs.

The Commission reminds ECGL that as an operator of an exempt service, it must at all times comply with the criteria set out in Broadcasting Order 2015-88, including those relating to the submission of simplified annual returns by no later than 30 November of each year. While ECGL will not be required to file program logs, it will nevertheless be required to comply with certain programming requirements and be ready to respond to any inquiry made by the Commission relating to the operation of the exempt undertaking. Failure to adhere to the criteria set out in Broadcasting Order 2015-88 at all times may result in the undertaking being found to be operating without a licence contrary to the Act, and the Commission will consider all of its regulatory options to address such non-compliance.

Secretary General