ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-7

This page has been archived on the Web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.

PDF version

Route reference: 2012-370

Additional reference: 2012-370-1

Ottawa, 9 January 2013

Fight Media Inc.
Across Canada

Application 2012-0420-6, received 29 March 2012
Public hearing in Montréal, Quebec
10 September 2012

The League – Fantasy Sports TV – Specialty Category B service

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a new specialty Category B service.

The application

1. Fight Media Inc. (Fight Media) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate The League – Fantasy Sports TV, a national, English-language specialty Category B service that would be devoted to fantasy sports, allowing viewers to act as owners and assume all the responsibilities associated with operating real sports franchises, and allowing viewers to create, monitor, trade and discuss players on their teams with others also playing fantasy sports. The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application

2. Fight Media is controlled by Leonard J. Asper.

3. Fight Media indicated that the service’s flagship programs would consist of studio call-in and talk shows hosted by anchors providing viewers with the opportunity to call in to discuss and seek advice on their fantasy picks and drafts. Viewers would be provided with multi-screen, real-time fantasy statistics and fantasy pool standings and rankings. Studio shows would take place prior to and after live events so that the information being provided is timely and relevant.

4. The applicant proposed to draw programming from the following program categories set out in Item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time: 1, 2(a), 2(b), 3, 5(b), 6(a), 6(b), 7(a), 7(c), 7(d), 7(e), 8(b), 10, 11(a), 11(b), 12, 13 and 14.

5. To ensure that the proposed service would not be directly competitive with existing Category A services, the applicant indicated that it would accept the following conditions of licence:

Commission’s decision

6. The Commission is satisfied that the application complies with all applicable policies, terms and conditions, including those set out in Public Notice 2000-6, Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, and Broadcasting Regulatory Policies 2010-786 and 2010-786-1. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Fight Media Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate the national, English-language specialty Category B service, The League – Fantasy Sports TV. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Reminder

7. The Commission reminds the applicant that distribution of this service is subject to the requirements set out in the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations.

Secretary General

Related documents

*This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-7

Terms, conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for the specialty Category B service The League – Fantasy Sports TV

Terms

A licence will be issued once the applicant has satisfied the Commission with supporting documentation that the following requirements have been met:

The licence will expire 31 August 2019.

Conditions of licence

1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for Category B pay and specialty services – Corrected Appendices 1 and 2, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-786-1, 18 July 2011, as amended from time to time.

2. In regard to the nature of service:

(a) The licensee shall provide a national, English-language specialty Category B service devoted to fantasy sports, allowing viewers to act as owners and assume all the responsibilities associated with operating real sports franchises, and allowing viewers to create, monitor, trade and discuss players on their teams with others also playing fantasy sports.

(b) The programming shall be drawn exclusively from the following program categories set out in Item 6 of Schedule I to the Specialty Services Regulations, 1990, as amended from time to time:

1   News
2   (a) Analysis and interpretation
     (b) Long-form documentary
3   Reporting and actualities
5   (b) Informal education/Recreation and leisure
6   (a) Professional sports
     (b) Amateur sports
7   (a) Ongoing dramatic series
     (c) Specials, mini-series or made-for-TV feature films
     (d) Theatrical feature films aired on TV
     (e) Animated television programs and films
8   (b) Music video clips
10 Game shows
11 (a) General entertainment and human interest
     (b) Reality television
12 Interstitials
13 Public service announcements
14 Infomercials, promotional and corporate videos

(c) The licensee shall devote not more than 10% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast month to programming drawn from each of program categories 2(b), 7(a), 7(c), 7(d), 7(e) and 8(b).

(d) Not more than 10% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast month shall be comprised of live event professional sports programming drawn from program category 6(a).

3. The service approved hereby is designated as a Category B service.

For the purposes of the conditions of this licence, “broadcast day” refers to the 24-hour period beginning each day at 6 a.m. or any other period approved by the Commission.

Expectations

The standard expectations applicable to this licensee are set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for Category B pay and specialty services – Corrected Appendices 1 and 2, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-786-1, 18 July 2011, as amended from time to time.

Encouragements

The standard encouragements applicable to this licensee are set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of licence, expectations and encouragements for Category B pay and specialty services – Corrected Appendices 1 and 2, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-786-1, 18 July 2011, as amended from time to time.

Date modified: