Broadcasting Commission Letter addressed to Jonathan Frantz (Isuma Collective)

Ottawa, 14 November 2022

Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0252

Reference: 2021-0527-0

BY EMAIL

Please acknowledge receipt of this letter by return email.

Johnathan Frantz
Producer
Isuma Collective
Email: jon@isuma.ca
Igloolik Office: P.O. 223 Igloolik, NU X0A 0L0
Montreal Office: 5333 Casgrain Avenue, Suite 910 Montreal, QC H2T 1X3

Re: Procedural Request to suspend the proceeding related to an application by Nunavut Independent Television Network (NITV) to receive mandatory distribution as part of the digital basic service for its discretionary service Uvagut TV, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-252

In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2022-252, 21 September 2022, the Commission announced that it will consider two applications^Footnote1 , one filed by Nunavut Independent Television Network (NITV) and the other by Natyf Inc. (Natyf), seeking mandatory distribution of their respective discretionary services as part of the digital basic service pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act (the “Act”). NITV is applying for mandatory distribution of Uvagut TV across Canada, whereas Natyf is requesting mandatory distribution of Natyf TV in the province of Quebec only.

By letter dated 7 November, Inuit TV Network (Inuit TV) filed its intervention that included a procedural request asking that the Commission:

• Suspend NITV’s application for a period of 30 days to give NITV time to work with other interested stakeholders on a revised proposal that better serves the needs of all Inuit communities in Canada.
• Should such negotiations fail, issue an open call for competing applications for a mandatory carriage, national, Indigenous-language discretionary service for these communities.

Inuit TV stated that it held off submitting its own application for mandatory distribution as it had hoped to negotiate a merger or partnership with NITV such that all major broadcast and production entities in Nunavut would support one organization. Inuit TV indicated that it had hoped to form one body to put forward the strongest proposal to serve the Inuit communities in Canada.

NITV may provide its response to Inuit TV’s procedural request no later than 17 November 2022. NITV may include its response as part of its final reply to interventions.

Inuit TV may file a reply no later than 22 November 2022. Any such reply may only address NITV’s comments in response to Inuit TV’s procedural request.

NITV and Inuit TV must provide to the other party copies of their submissions on the same date they are filed with the CRTC.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by

Michael Craig
A/Director, Television, Broadcasting

c.c: Alethea Arnaquq-Baril (angijuqqaaq@inuit.tv)

Date modified:

2022-11-14