ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2015-251

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 16 January 2015

Ottawa, 12 June 2015

Soundview Entertainment Inc.
Across Canada

Application 2015-0033-0

Addition of Télé50 to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution

The Commission approves an application to add Télé50 to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution (the list) and amends the list accordingly. The revised list is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca, by clicking on “TV & Radio” and selecting “Programming.”

Introduction

  1. The Commission received an application from Soundview Entertainment Inc. (Soundview Entertainment), acting as the Canadian sponsor, to add Télé50, a non-Canadian French-language service, to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution (the list). The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.

  2. Soundview Entertainment described Télé50 as a 24-hour news service that provides in-depth news coverage of Congolese politics, social issues and sports. The service originates from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and broadcasts in the French language (76%) and in the Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba and Kikongo languages (24%).

  3. The Commission’s general approach to the addition of non-Canadian English- and French-language services to the list is set out in Public Notice 2000-173, and reiterated in Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100. Under this approach, the Commission assesses such requests in the context of its general policy, which, among other things, precludes the addition of a non-Canadian service that can be considered either totally or partially competitive with Canadian specialty or pay television services.

  4. In regard to non-Canadian news services, however, the Commission considers a more open-entry approach to be consistent with the importance it places on a diversity of editorial points of view. Consequently, in Broadcasting Public Notice 2008-100, the Commission stated that absent clear evidence, as determined by the Commission, that a non-Canadian news service will violate Canadian regulations, such as those regarding abusive comment, the Commission will be predisposed to authorize non-Canadian news services for distribution in Canada.

Commission’s analysis and decision

  1. In the absence of opposing interventions and any evidence that the service would violate Canadian regulations, the Commission approves the application by Soundview Entertainment Inc. to add Télé50 to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution and amends the list accordingly. The revised list is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca by clicking on “TV & Radio” and selecting “Programming,” and may be obtained in hard copy on request.

Secretary General

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