ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 96-312

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Decision
CRTC 96-312

Ottawa, 2 August 1996
Cogeco Câble Canada inc.
Trois-Rivières, Quebec - 952212900
Licence renewal
Following Public Notice CRTC 1996-13 dated 19 January 1996, the Commission renews the Class 1 licence held by Cogeco Câble Canada inc., for the cable distribution undertaking serving Trois-Rivières, from 1 September 1996 to 31 August 2001.
The licence term granted herein, while less than the maximum of seven years permitted by the Broadcasting Act, will enable the Commission to consider the next licence renewal of this undertaking in accordance with the Commission's regional plan and to better distribute the workload within the Commission. The term is not reflective of any Commission concern regarding the licensee's performance.
The operation of this undertaking is regulated pursuant to Parts I, II and IV of the Cable Television Regulations, 1986 (the regulations) and the licence will be subject to the conditions in effect under the current licence, as well as to those conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.
In addition to the services required or authorized to be distributed pursuant to the applicable sections of the regulations, the licensee is authorized to continue to distribute, at its option, WVNY (ABC) and WCAX-TV (CBS) Burlington, Vermont as well as WPTZ (NBC) and WCFE-TV (PBS) Plattsburgh, New York, received via microwave, as part of the basic service.
Consistent with Decision CRTC 96-113 dated 25 April 1996, the licensee is authorized, by condition of licence, to distribute the extra-regional signal of CBFT (CBC) Montréal, received via satellite, on the basic service of its undertaking, due to the poor reception quality of the signal, received over the air, as confirmed by the Department of Industry.
The Commission approves the licensee's request for authority to distribute the programming service of CFTU-TV (IND) Montréal, a distant Canadian signal received via optical fibre, as part of the discretionary tier of the undertaking.
The licensee is relieved, by condition of licence, of the requirement of subsection 16(2)(b) of the regulations to distribute the local signal of CBF-FM-1 Trois-Rivières. The licensee will distribute instead CBF-FM Montréal which offers the same programming.
Consistent with Decision CRTC 95-591 dated 24 August 1995, the licensee is authorized to originate a video games service as a special programming service, offered on a discretionary basis, subject to the conditions listed in that decision.
Consistent with Decision CRTC 95-744 dated 11 October 1995, the licensee is also authorized, by condition of licence, to insert, at its option, certain promotional material as a substitute for the "local availabilities" (i.e. non-Canadian advertising material) of non-Canadian satellite services.
At least 75% of these local availabilities must be made available for use by licensed Canadian programming services for the promotion of their respective services, for the promotion of the community channel and for unpaid Canadian public service announcements. A maximum of 25% of the local availabilities may be made available for the promotion of discretionary programming services and packages, customer service information, channel realignments, cable FM service and additional cable outlets.
The Commission reaffirms the particular importance it attaches to the development of community programming and has taken note of the annual budgets that will be allocated for this purpose during the new licence term. The Commission encourages the licensee to continue its efforts to develop programs that reflect community interests and concerns.
In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Imple-mentation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. The Commission recognizes the licensee's involvement in various employment equity initiatives including its support of women in broadcasting. Nevertheless, the Commission considers that the licensee could increase its efforts in relation to visible minorities, people with disabilities and Aboriginal Peoples.
This decision is to be appended to the licence.
Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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