PUBLIC HEARING

Agenda

9 May 2002

Reconsideration of Decision CRTC 2001-757

World Television Network/Le Réseau Télémonde Inc.

Across Canada
Application No. 2000-2155-1
 
Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 2002-5, Item 1

The applicant is proposing 2 separate services, one in English and one in French. WTM is requesting that:

• in Quebec, the French-language service be operated on a modified dual status basis, and the English-language service as a mandatory digital service;
  
• for the rest of Canada, the English-language service be operated on a modified dual status, and the French-language service as a mandatory digital service.

Modified dual status means that a service will be distributed on a discretionary basis, unless the distributor and the programming service operator agree to its distribution as part of the basic service.

In Decision CRTC 2001-757, the Commission approved the application by WTM to be licensed as a new, national, Category 2 specialty television undertaking for digital distribution. The applicant's request for guaranteed access to analog distribution on cable was denied. The WTM application was heard at the 19 June 2001 Public Hearing.

By Order-in-Council P.C. 2002-330, the Governor in Council referred this decision back to the Commission for reconsideration and hearing. The Order-in-Council stated that it is material to the reconsideration and hearing that the Commission fully assess the appropriate options for the carriage by distributors of services that aspire to reflect and connect Canada's multicultural communities to broader audiences.

By letter dated 20 March 2002, the applicant was invited to submit any comment or amendment it might wish to make to its application, by 8 April 2002.

The Commission invites the public to regularly examine the public examination file of the above noted application in order to become aware of any additional information that could be filed in the future.

Pursuant to section 28(3) of the Broadcasting Act, where a decision is referred back to the Commission, the Commission may:

(a) rescind the decision or the issue of the licence;
(b) rescind the issue of the licence and issue a licence on the same or different conditions to another person; or
(c) confirm, either with or without change, variation or alteration, the decision or the issue of the licence.

FOR THE APPLICANT

Dan Iannuzzi
Rock Demers
Kerry Johnston
Kenning Marchant
Doreen Iannuzzi
Michael McHale
Howard Bernstein
Lon Appleby
Bill Brooks
Firdaus Kharas
Marcel Clémont

APPEARING INTERVENERS

1. Canadian Cable Television Association/Association canadienne de télévision par câble, Janet Yale, Lori Assheton-Smith (int. 051)
2. Canadian Association of Broadcasters/Association canadienne des radiodiffuseurs, Glenn O'Farrell, Sylvie Courtemanche (int. 050)
3. Ontario Federation of Labour, Wayne Samuelson (int. 060)
4. Center for Research-Action on Race Relations/Centre de recherce-action sur les relations raciales, Fo Niemi (int. 076)
5. The Honourable Gerry Weiner (int. 001)
6. Telelatino Network Inc., Aldo Di Felice (int. 049)
7. Multicultural Association of Nova Scotia, Barbara Campbell (int. 021)
8. Paul A. Winn (int. 020)
9 Fairchild Television Ltd., Joseph Chan, Louis Cheng, Connie Sephton, Rob Malcolmson (int. 053)
10. Asian Television Network International Limited, Shan Chandrasekar (int. 048)
11. Communication and Diversity Network, Raj Rasalingam, Lionel Lumb, Rubin Friedman (int. 052)
12. Maria Minna, MP (int. 057)
13. Joseph Volpe, MP (int. 059)
14. Labourers' International Union of North America, Joseph S. Mancinelli (int. 058)
15. Ken A. Stewart (int. 045)
16. Robert Wong (int. 054)
17. Clarence S. Bayne (int. 055)
18. Wayne Kines (int. 061)
19. Rino Vultaggio (int. 063)
20. Canadian Ethnocultural Council, Art Hagopian (int. 044)