ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 97-304

This page has been archived on the Web

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. Archived Decisions, Notices and Orders (DNOs) remain in effect except to the extent they are amended or reversed by the Commission, a court, or the government. The text of archived information has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Changes to DNOs are published as “dashes” to the original DNO number. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats by contacting us.

Decision

Ottawa, 9 July 1997
Decision CRTC 97-304
Laurentien Câble TV inc.
Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau; Buckingham, Masson and Angers, Quebec- 199610019 - 199610005
Licence renewals and amendments
1. Following Public Notice CRTC 1996-154 dated 13 December 1996, the Commission renews the licences held by Laurentien Câble TV inc., for the cable distribution undertakings serving the above-noted localities, from 1 September 1997 to 31 August 2004.
2. The Commission notes that the undertaking serving Buckingham, Masson and Angers now has more than 6,000 subscribers and that, therefore, a Class 1 licence, rather than a Class 2 licence, will be issued.
3. The operation of these undertakings is regulated pursuant to Parts I, II and IV of the Cable Television Regulations, 1986 (the regulations), and the licences will be subject to the conditions in effect under the current licences as well as to those conditions specified in this decision and in the licences to be issued.
4. The Commission approves the licensee's request for authority to distribute the programming service of WUTV (FOX) Buffalo, New York, received via optical fibre, as part of the basic service.
5. 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, CFCF-TV (CTV), CFTM-TV (TVA) and CBMT (CBC) Montréal and CKWS-TV (CBC) Kingston, received via microwave, as part of the basic service.
6. The licensee is also authorized to continue to distribute, at its option, the programming service of CBFT-2 (SRC) Montréal, received via satellite, as part of the basic service.
7. In addition, the licensee is authorized to continue to distribute CHRO-TV (CTV) Pembroke, received via optical fibre.
8. The licensee is authorized to continue to distribute, at its option, WHEC-TV (NBC), WOKR (ABC) and WROC-TV (CBS) Rochester and WNPE-TV (PBS) Watertown, New York, received via microwave, as well as the audio programming of The Nashville Network on an audio channel.
9. The licensee is further authorized to continue to substitute, at its option, the signals of WNED-TV (PBS), WGRZ-TV (NBC), WIVB-TV (CBS) and WKBW-TV (ABC) Buffalo, New York for the presently authorized signals of WNPE-TV (PBS) Watertown, WHEC-TV (NBC), WROC-TV (CBS) and WOKR (ABC) Rochester, New York, provided that the criteria set out in Decision CRTC 93-54 dated 15 February 1993 are met.
10. Consistent with Decision CRTC 94-158 dated 13 April 1994, the licensee is relieved, by condition of licence, of the requirement of section 9 of the regulations to distribute the priority television service CFMT-TV-2 (IND) Ottawa, on the basic band (channels 2 to 13), so long as it is distributed as part of the basic service.
11. Consistent with Decision CRTC 95-692 dated 21 September 1995, the licensee is 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.
12. 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.
13. The Commission commends the licensee for its efforts in the development of community programming that reflects the interests and concerns of the communities that it serves. In Public Notice CRTC 1997-25 entitled New Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings, the Commission adopted a more flexible approach towards a requirement to provide local expression. The Commission remains convinced that community channels will continue to provide a vibrant, local service, particularly where there is public demand for the service.
14. It is a condition of each licence that, for community programming and any other programming of a service that it originates, the licensee adhere to the guidelines on the depiction of violence in television programming set out in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
15. The Commission notes that this licensee is subject to the Employment Equity Act that came into effect on 24 October 1996 (1996 EEA), and therefore files reports concerning employment equity with Human Resources Development Canada. As a result of a consequential amendment to the Broadcasting Act (the Act), the Commission no longer has the authority to apply its employment equity policy to any undertaking that is subject to the 1996 EEA.
16. The Department of Industry has advised the Commission that it is prepared to renew the Broadcasting Certificates for a period of two years only, expiring 31 August 1999. With respect to the operation of these undertakings beyond this period, the Commission draws the licensee's attention to subsection 22(1) of the Act pertaining to the technical certification of broadcasting undertakings and to subsection 22(4) which provides that any broadcasting licence issued, amended or renewed in contravention of section 22 is of no force or effect.
This decision is to be appended to each licence.
Laura M. Talbot-Allan
Secretary General
This document is available in alternative format upon request.
DEC97-304_0
Date modified: