Broadcasting - Staff Letter addressed to David Errington (Accessible Media Inc.)
Ottawa, 29 April 2024
BY EMAIL
David Errington
President and CEO
Accessible Media Inc.
1090 Don Mills Road, Suite 200
Toronto, ON
M3C 3R6
Subject: Part 1 Application to amend Broadcasting Orders CRTC 2018-321 and CRTC 2018-322 to increase the monthly wholesale rate for AMI-tv and AMI-télé (2024-0082-8)
Mr. Errington,
In relation to the above application submitted on 29 February 2024, to increase the monthly wholesale rate per subscriber broadcasting distribution undertakings (BDUs) are required to pay to distribute AMI-tv and AMI-télé (collectively the AMI services), respond to the question below in order to complete the record of the application.
The Commission requires that you submit your documents electronically using the secured service “My CRTC Account” (Partner Log In or GCKey) and fill in the “Broadcasting and Telecom Cover page” located on this web page. On this web page, you will also find a link to information on the submission of applications to the Commission “Submitting applications and other documents to the CRTC using My CRTC Account.”
Your answer to the question below should be received by no later than 7 May 2024. In your response, please repeat the question before answering them.
Please note that a copy of this letter and all related correspondence will be added to the public record of the proceeding.
Further, given that additional information will be added to the public record of the application, interested parties will be given an opportunity to comment on this new information.
Accessible Media Inc. 2024-0082-8
In its application, Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is proposing to increase the monthly rate paid by BDUs for the AMI services. It indicated that the increased rate would apply on an interim basis until the Commission can consider the appropriate wholesale rate for these services as part of a broader licence renewal proceeding. Furthermore, AMI estimated that the proposed rate increases would approximately generate $1.33 million (AMI-tv) and $1.29 million (AMI-télé) over the two years before AMI’s licences expire.
The 2024 Federal Budget, released on April 16, announced the following:
“Budget 2024 proposes to provide $15 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to the Department of Canadian Heritage to support public interest programming services Footnote1 , including $5 million in 2024-25 to support CPAC’s capital requirements.” Footnote2
This investment in public interest programming services, if it is passed by Parliament, is intended to provide Accessible Media Inc. with additional revenues before its services’ next licence renewal proceeding. Please comment on whether this announcement impacts the present application.
Confidential information
As set out in sections 30 to 34 of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure and in Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, Procedures for filing confidential information and requesting its disclosure in Commission proceedings, parties may designate certain information as confidential. A party designating information as confidential must provide a detailed explanation on why the designated information is confidential and why its disclosure would not be in the public interest, including why the specific direct harm that would be likely to result from the disclosure would outweigh the public interest in disclosure. Furthermore, a party designating information as confidential must either file an abridged version of the document omitting only the information designated as confidential or provide reasons why an abridged version cannot be filed.
Should you need further information concerning this request, please do not hesitate to contact me by telephone at 873-353-8378, or email at marie-eve.larose-roy@crtc.gc.ca
Sincerely,
Marie-Ève Larose-Roy
Senior Analyst, English and Third-language Television
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