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Speech

Notes for an address

by Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C.

Chairman, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

 

to the public hearing in Gatineau, Quebec


Gatineau, Quebec

December 7, 2009

(Check against delivery)

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this public hearing.

The panel consists of all 13 Commissioners. They are:

  • Michel Arpin, Vice-Chairman of Broadcasting
  • Len Katz, Vice-Chairman of Telecommunications
  • Rita Cugini, Regional Commissioner for Ontario
  • Tim Denton, National Commissioner
  • Elizabeth Duncan, Commissioner for the Atlantic Region and Nunavut
  • Suzanne Lamarre, Regional Commissioner for Quebec
  • Peter Menzies, Regional Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories
  • Candice Molnar, Regional Commissioner for Manitoba and Saskatchewan
  • Michel Morin, National Commissioner
  • Marc Patrone, National Commissioner
  • Louise Poirier, National Commissioner
  • Stephen Simpson, Regional Commissioner for British Columbia and the Yukon
  • and myself, Konrad von Finckenstein, Chairman of the CRTC. I will be presiding over this hearing.

The Commission team assisting us includes:

  • Donna Gill, Hearing Manager and Manager, Digital and Interactive Media
  • Valérie Dionne and Crystal Hulley, Legal Counsel, and
  • Jade Roy, Hearing Secretary.

Report to the government

On September 17, the government asked the CRTC to:

“hold hearings on the implications and the advisability of implementing a compensation for the value of the local television signal regime and to issue to the Government, as soon as practicable, a report providing recommendations taking into account:

  1. the comments of the general public on the impact of such a measure on consumers, and in particular, the impact on affordable access to a variety of local and regional news, information and public affairs programming; and
  2. how the application of such a regime would impact the various components of the communications industry as it adapts to the new digital communications environment, and in particular, the implications on current and emerging business models.”

As a result, in our notice of consultation, we raised the following issues:

  • the availability of local television services, including local news, information and public affairs programming
  • the ability to choose different types of channels and packages
  • the affordability of cable and satellite television services
  • industry challenges as it adapts to the new digital communications environment, and
  • current or future business plans.

The CRTC has already heard from a large number of Canadians on these issues. In addition to the 16,700 comments submitted directly through our website, approximately 172,964 comments were submitted through campaigns, including:

  • 114,890 as part of the “Local TV Matters” campaign
  • 49,693 as part of the “Stop the TV Tax” campaign, and
  • 8,381 as part of other campaigns.

In total, we have received close to 190,000 comments. Canadians can still submit comments through an online consultation that can be accessed from our website. The online consultation will remain open until December 21.

For this hearing, we have randomly selected a representative sampling of Canadians from across the country to share their views. We also asked the “Local TV Matters” and “Stop the TV Tax” campaigns to each select six representatives.

It must be kept in mind that this hearing is distinct from the Commission’s other proceedings. Our decision on the group-based licensing framework and certain issues related to conventional television will be made on the basis of the evidence presented during the November hearing. As you know, there was a well-publicized hearing with participation by all stakeholders, including consumers.

The purpose of the present hearing is to collect the necessary information to prepare a full report for the government. Subsequent to the hearing, we will present a report on the views expressed at this hearing and make recommendations to the government on the advisability and implications of adopting a value of signal regime. We believe that making recommendations to the government on the following key points is implicit in preparing the report that has been requested:

  1. How can the current regulatory process be improved to ensure the interests of consumers are taken into consideration and upheld?
  2. What measures could be taken, regulatory or otherwise, to ensure the industry’s smooth transition to the new digital communications environment?

Process

I would now invite the hearing secretary, Jade Roy, to explain the procedures we will be following. Madam Secretary...


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This document is available in alternative format upon request.

Date Modified: 2009-12-07

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