Broadcasting - Secretary General Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa, 13 May 2024
References: 2023-0379-1, 2023-0380-9, 2022-0946-0, 2023-0300-9, 2022-0986-6, 2023-0373-3, 2023-0307-2
BY E-MAIL
Distribution List
Subject: Part 1 applications filed by Bell, Corus, Quebecor and Rogers seeking amendments to conditions of service for their respective television services, and procedural requests in regard to those applications, filed by the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Dear Jonathan Daniels, Matt Thompson, Peggy Tabet, Susan Wheeler, Monica Auer, and John Lawford,
Thank you for your applications and requests regarding potential amendments to conditions of service for various television services. Footnote1
Bell Media Inc. (Bell), Corus Entertainment Inc. (Corus), Quebecor Media Inc. (Quebecor), and Rogers Media Inc. (Rogers) are seeking changes to various obligations, including those relating to expenditures on local news, local programming, and Canadian programming. The Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) and the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) have jointly filed procedural requests relating to those applications.
These applications have been filed with the Commission at an important juncture in the evolution of the Canadian broadcasting system. The Commission acknowledges that the broadcasting landscape has changed significantly in recent years and that broadcasters are facing additional pressures to meet their respective obligations.
As you know, the Commission is holding a series of public proceedings as part of the modernization of the Canadian broadcasting framework. As outlined in its regulatory plan, the Commission will be launching consultations relating to broad policy matters. The Commission considers it appropriate to incorporate the applications submitted by Bell (2023-0379-1 and 2023-0380-9), Corus (2022-0946-0 Footnote2 and 2023-0300-9), Quebecor (2022-0986-6) and Rogers (2023-0373-3) into these upcoming proceedings. As a result, the Commission is suspending these applications at this time and will consider them as part of the implementation of the amended Broadcasting Act.
The Commission received an additional application from Corus Footnote3 asking us to urgently consider two amendments to its current conditions of service. Corus is a vital source of local news and local expression, and the loss of Corus’ contributions would significantly impact the Canadian broadcasting system, which would affect audiences and creators. The Commission has examined this application on an exceptional basis and issued a decision on 13 May 2024 (see Broadcasting Decision 2024-103).
The Commission also examined an additional application submitted by Quebecor on behalf of TVA Group Inc. Footnote4 to modify its conditions of service relating to local news on CFCM-DT Québec. While the issue of local news was raised by the large broadcasting groups, this specific application from Quebecor was limited in its scope and impact on the Canadian broadcasting system. The Commission issued a decision on this application on 13 May 2024 (see Broadcasting Decision 2024-104).
The Commission considered three jointly submitted procedural requests filed by FRPC and PIAC on 1 July 2023, 11 July 2023 and 14 July 2023. FRPC and PIAC asked that the Commission suspend the applications noted above from the large broadcasting groups to change their conditions of service for local news, local programming, and Canadian programming. They requested that the Commission consolidate the applications into a single proceeding and that the large broadcasting groups provide additional information. FRPC and PIAC asked that their first letter be treated as an application.
The Commission finds that since it will consider the applications made by the large broadcasting groups in the context of upcoming public proceedings, it is not necessary to consolidate them into a single application and launch a proceeding. Furthermore, as future proceedings will provide opportunities to add information to the record, there is no need to consider the third request from FRPC and PIAC at this time. As a result, the Commission denies the first two requests and will not consider the third. The Commission also considers that the requests from FRPC and PIAC are appropriately treated as procedural requests and not applications.
The Commission encourages participation by FRPC and PIAC, and all other interested parties, in the Commission’s forthcoming proceedings to modernize the broadcasting regulatory framework.
The issues raised by the large broadcasting groups are important. As demonstrated by the Commission’s consideration of requests from Corus and Quebecor, it remains open to dealing with specific and urgent issues as it considers the broader broadcasting framework.
If you have any questions, please contact Scott Shortliffe, Executive Director of Broadcasting, at Scott.Shortliffe@crtc.gc.ca or at 819-921-0727.
Sincerely,
Marc Morin
Secretary General
Distribution list:
Jonathan Daniels, Bell, jonathan.daniels@bell.ca
Matt Thompson, Corus, matt.thompson@corusent.com
Peggy Tabet, Quebecor, tabet.peggy@quebecor.com
Susan Wheeler, Rogers, susan.wheeler@rci.rogers.com
Monica Auer, Forum for Research and Policy in Communications, execdir@frpc.net
John Lawford, Public Interest Advocacy Centre, jlawford@piac.ca
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