CRTC renews CBC licences for all. Decision broken down to parts...

[DanNospamSay]

No requirements for new over-the-air
transmitters: Despite demands for the CBC
to reverse its decision to shut down
hundreds of analog television transmitters
across the country, and to limit digital
transmitters to markets with local
programming, the CRTC says it will not
impose requirements on the CBC due to its
financial situation. Instead, it suggests
people who can't get CBC or Radio-Canada
over the air to look to Shaw's free basic
satellite offer, which expires in November.

#CRTC decision allowing ads on
CBC Radio Two/Espace Musique includes
harshly-worded dissent from VP Tom Pentefountas.

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CBC’s CRTC licence renewal: What’s changing in point form
May 28, 2013 – 1:52 pm| Posted in Montreal, Radio, TV

Short URL for this post: http://fagstein.com/?p=13705

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has
just renewed the broadcasting licence for most radio and TV services
run by CBC/Radio-Canada. It's a long decision, and even the press
release explaining it is kind of long. So here's what the CRTC has
decided and how it'll affect what you watch and hear:

Radio
Ads on Radio Two/Espace Musique: The most controversial proposal
has been accepted. The CRTC will allow advertising on the music radio
network, but with some restrictions: They can broadcast no more than
four minutes of advertising an hour, in no more than two ad blocks,
and no local advertising is allowed. This allowance is also limited to
three years. If the CBC wants to continue after that, it must re-apply
to the CRTC for permission.
Minimum playlist size: As part of a way to ensure Radio Two and
Espace Musique are different from commercial radio, the CRTC is
requiring that they air a large number of different musical
selections, 2,800 a month for Radio Two and 3,000 for Espace Musique.
That means about 100 songs a day that haven't been played yet that
month.
More specific radio CanCon minimums: Currently, half of popular
music and 20% of special interest music must be Canadian for all four
radio networks. The CRTC has added, with CBC's blessing, conditions
that require that 25% of concert music and 20% of jazz/blues music
also be Canadian.
More flexibility in French music: On Radio-Canada radio networks,
85% of music played must be French. That requirement remains. But the
rest is no longer restricted. Before only 5% could be in English and
all of it had to be Canadian. Now that 15% can be in any language,
including English, and half of non-French music has to be Canadian.
More French local programming in Windsor: CBC's cuts to local
programming at CBEF Windsor caused controversy, leading to complaints
that included the official languages commissioner. The CRTC has
decided to impose a minimum of 15 hours per week of local programming
at the radio station, above what the CBC had proposed and consistent
with other stations in minority communities.
No more Long Range Radio Plan: The CBC says, due to its budget, it
has no plans to increase its radio coverage area (including plans to
make Espace Musique available to more people) and wants to discontinue
the Long Range Radio Plan. This plan includes hundreds of allocations
for radio transmitters that don't exist yet. Shutting this down would
save a lot of headaches for private broadcasters, whose proposals for
new or improved radio stations would have to take these imaginary
stations into account.
Public alerting system: The CBC is required to install a public
emergency alerting system on all radio stations by Dec. 31, 2014. The
CBC said it would issue alerts at the station level, not at the
transmitter level. The CRTC said it was concerned this might lead to
alerts being issued too widely instead of just to the communities
affected. Similar alerting is being encouraged, but not required, on
television.

Television

More local TV programming: Following CBC's recommendation, the
CRTC has harmonized requirements for local programming between CBC/
Radio-Canada and private television stations.
English stations in metropolitan markets (which includes
Montreal) will have to produce 14 hours a week of local programming,
and stations in smaller markets seven hours a week. In most cases,
this is an increase over current levels (Montreal produces just under
11 hours a week of local programming), so we'll need to see longer or
more frequent local newscasts.
All French stations must produce five hours of local
programming a week, including those in English markets, who must have
some local programming seven days a week (except holidays).
CBC North (CFYK-TV Yellowknife) will have five hours minimum
as a condition of licence, though the CBC says it will be more than
this.
Non-news local TV programming: Following a suggestion from the
CRTC at the hearing, the CBC agreed to require at least one of the 14
hours of local TV programming in major markets be devoted to non-news
programming. The CBC hasn't said what this would be, exactly. I'm
waiting for details.
No blanket exemptions for local programming: The CBC had requested
that it be allowed to calculate local programming on a yearly basis
instead of a weekly one, because events like the NHL playoffs or
Olympics pre-empt local programming. The CRTC decided against this
(except for French stations in English markets), mainly for practical
reasons (it would have to review a whole year's worth of tapes to
determine if it was meeting its licence requirements). The CBC then
suggested that it be allowed an exemption of up to 16 weeks a year.
The CRTC decided against that too, preferring a case-by-case approach
and referring to a decision that allowed CTV and V to be relieved of
their local programming minimums during the 2012 Olympics, saying that
should be the model for future events.
Higher Canadian TV programming requirement: CBC and Radio-Canada
television is now required to devote 75% of their broadcast day (6am
to midnight) and 80% of primetime (7pm-11pm) to Canadian programs.
They already do this now (they boast of having a 100% Canadian
primetime), but it's higher than their previous official requirements.
Regional television in French: Radio-Canada television is now
required to devote at least five hours per week to programming
produced outside Montreal. In addition, 6% of its budget for Canadian
programs must go to independent producers outside Montreal.
More English-language television from Quebec: The CRTC is
requiring CBC television to devote 6% of its budget for English-
language Canadian programs to independent producers in Quebec,
averaged over the licence term (until 2018). In addition, it must
spend 10% of its development budget on Quebec, to give a boost to
English-language producers here by having them produce more new
programming.
No interference in The National/Le Téléjournal: The corporation's
national newscasts have been accused of being too focused on the
regions they originate from (Toronto and Montreal, respectively). But
the CRTC won't interfere, saying it would threaten journalistic
integrity. It will, however, ask for regular reporting on how official
language minority communities feel about how well CBC and Radio-
Canada's programming reflects them, and has imposed this purposefully
vague condition of licence: "national news and information programming
shall reflect the country’s regions and official language minority
communities, and promote respect and understanding between them."
Canadian films on CBC: Following CBC's proposal, the CRTC has
imposed a requirement that CBC television air one Canadian theatrical
film every month. The CBC is being given the flexibility to schedule
it, which means it could air on a weekend afternoon, but it will air.
The CBC is being held to its commitment to air Canadian movies on
Saturday nights during 10 weeks in the summer.
No requirements for new over-the-air transmitters: Despite demands
for the CBC to reverse its decision to shut down hundreds of analog
television transmitters across the country, and to limit digital
transmitters to markets with local programming, the CRTC says it will
not impose requirements on the CBC due to its financial situation.
Instead, it suggests people who can't get CBC or Radio-Canada over the
air to look to Shaw's free basic satellite offer, which expires in
November. It also suggests broadcasters look to solutions like
multiplexing (multiple channels on one transmitter) to offset the
expense of digital transmitters.

Specialty TV

Renewal of mandatory distribution: The CRTC will maintain orders
requiring digital cable and satellite providers to distribute CBC News
Network in French-language markets and RDI in English-language
markets, for $0.15 and $0.10 per month respectively. This is to ensure
access to news programming for official language minority communities.
ARTV will be required to make 50% of its programming schedule
devoted to programs from independent producers, replacing a condition
that it spend all its profits on independent production. (Since ARTV's
profits are modest at best, this will be a net benefit, the CRTC
argues.) ARTV will also have to devote 20% of its programming budget
to programs produced outside Quebec, half of that to independent
producers.

Other

Ombudsmen: The corporation's two ombudsmen (one for CBC, one for
Radio-Canada) are now required by a condition of licence, which
establishes how they are hired, and says they must report directly to
the CBC president twice a year.
Digital media: The CRTC hasn't set specific conditions as far as
digital media, though it has encouraged the CBC to be more accessible
(more closed captioning online, for example).
Terms of trade: The CBC is being ordered to come to agreements
with the Canadian Media Production Association and Association des
producteurs de films et de télévision du Québec within a year.
Consultations with minority language communities: The CBC must
hold formal consultations at least once every two years with minority
language communities, including the English community in Quebec. It
must also report annually on such consultations.

Tags: CBC, CBME, CBMT, CRTC, local television | Short URL for this
post: http://fagstein.com/?p=13705
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