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Decision
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Ottawa, 6 April 1989
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Decision CRTC 89-138
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Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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Ottawa, Foymount, Barry's Bay, Whitney, Maynooth, McArthur's Mills, Ontario -881318000
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Following a Public Hearing in the National Capital Region commencing 22 November 1988, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for CBOT Ottawa and its rebroadcasting undertakings serving the communities mentioned above, from 1 September 1989 to 31 August 1994, subject to the conditions of licence specified in the appendix to this decision and in the licences to be issued.
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CBOT's coverage area is centred in the Nation's capital and extends to the lower Ottawa Valley, from Hawkesbury to Pembroke and from Prescott/Cornwall to Maniwaki, including viewers in the provinces of both Ontario and Quebec. As outlined by station representatives:
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... it is quite a different geographic kind of area. It is smaller than [other] CBC regions and it straddles two provinces, which is really quite rare; and... we have the feature of having a substantial amount of our population being bilingual.
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CBOT described itself as a regional station, committed to providing "a balanced view of community and regional issues and concerns" and reflecting the region's "multicultural nature, its uniquely varied political dimensions ... and its economic and social activities".
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Both at the hearing and in its application, the Corporation described CBOT's unique position among CBC owned-and-operated stations. Since it is situated in the National Capital Region, the station co-operates with the network's Ottawa-based personnel to contribute news stories to the network and produces two or three specials a year on political or cultural events of national significance. It also stressed its expertise in the production of political documentaries.
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Currently the station broadcasts 10 hours 35 minutes per week of original local production, an amount considerably less than the 17 hours committed to in CBOT's current Promise of Performance. In this regard, station representatives noted that CBOT had sustained a budget cut of over $1.5 million and lost in excess of 40 staff positions in 1984/85, resulting in the cancellation of local news programs at noon and on weekends, the high school quiz show "Reach for the Top", the arts and entertainment program "Performance", and "Football Huddle".
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CBOT emphasized that "information programming is the cornerstone of our activities", constituting approximately 9 hours of the local program schedule. CBOT's news and information production includes its weekday supper-hour show, a late-evening summary of news, weather and sports and a 7-minute report for local insertion in the network program "Midday". CBOT also co-operates extensively with CBLT Toronto and CBET Windsor in the production and exchange of news items, particularly for inclusion in the weekend news programs which are produced out of CBLT and for CBET's "This Week In Ontario". CBOT has also co-operated with its French-language counterpart CBOFT in news coverage and in broadcasting special community events such as "Winterlude". On an occasional basis, the station produces half-hour documentaries and public forum discussions on topics of local and regional interest that are incorporated into the format of its news and information programs.
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In addition to its news programming, CBOT's other regularly-scheduled local production is the entertainment magazine program "Metro", which is broadcast Mondays at 7:00 p.m. In addition, CBOT noted the numerous community specials the station produces each year, including an annual telethon to raise funds for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and the "Help Santa Toy Parade".
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The Commission notes that although CBOT has not involved itself in the production of any regularly-scheduled local drama productions, the station has produced occasional drama specials and indicated that it continually looks for scripts which it can produce or co-produce for such network series as "The Way We Are" and "Family Pictures". At the hearing, station representatives stated that CBOT intended to increase activity in this area: "We are slowly building the kind of skills that would be required ultimately to do, perhaps in more serious quantities, live action drama".
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In terms of CBOT's participation with the local independent production community, over the current licence term the station has undertaken two childrens series, the animated program "The Racoons" and "Under the Umbrella Tree", both of which receive network distribution. The Commission encourages CBOT to continue its efforts to develop this type of production in the National Capital Region.
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The Commission stresses the important role that local television stations play in the development and promotion of creative and performing talent and notes that CBOT's past initiatives in this area have included such annual programs as "The Christmas Special" featuring local choral groups, and coverage of the "Pembroke Fiddling Championships". CBOT has also produced a number of variety programs such as a gala from the National Arts Centre promoting awareness of physical disabilities, and provided a showcase for the region's comedic talent with the co-productions "Best of Skit Row" and "For a Few Laughs More".
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At the hearing, station officials expressed optimism that within the new licence term, CBOT would work towards producing, in association with Ottawa's independent production community, a comedy or drama series. CBOT also outlined preliminary plans to co-produce, with a local independent producer, a documentary examining cultural minorities through their music, and spoke of discussions it had undertaken with organizers of Cornwall's multicultural folk festival regarding possible future coverage of the event.
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In line with the CBC's intention to make available to its English-language regional stations an additional 30 minutes per week of local programming in the evening as referred to in the Public Notice introducing this and other renewal decisions released today, the Commission encourages the licensee to produce and broadcast in that period local entertainment programming featuring regional performers.
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The Commission notes CBOT's contributions to the network in the area of children's programming. Station representatives at the hearing noted CBOT's reputation for excellence in this area, with its production of the regional children's magazine series "Switchback" which is seen throughout Ontario and Quebec and its successful co-production series "Under the Umbrella Tree", mentioned earlier in this decision. CBOT indicated its intention to continue its tradition of producing quality children's programming for the network over the new licence term, with the above-noted programs and with the frequent contributions of items to other network children's programs such as "What's New" and "Wonderstruck".
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The Commission notes the intervention by the Ottawa Chapter of the Canadian Television Producers and Directors Association (CTPDA) which expressed the view that the CBC is failing to fulfill its mandate to serve regional needs. The CTPDA asked that the Corporation reassess the role of regional production and local stations and restructure its commitments and priorities accordingly. While noting that the CTPDA was satisfied with CBOT's local production levels and the station's efforts towards skill and talent development, the intervener noted the increasingly limited availability of local broadcast time and the fact that CBOT's local production could easily become a "news only" service.
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The Ottawa-Hull Film and Television Association (OHFTA) also intervened to comment on the responsibility of local television stations to provide employment and skills development for the local production community, particularly through drama, variety and children's programming.
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In reply CBOT indicated that although it intends to increase its contribution to network news and information programs during the new licence term, including providing facilities for the CBC's specialty news and information service, it has also made substantial contributions to network programming in other categories, many of which reflect regional and local talent, issues and concerns. Amongst these contributions CBOT noted "On the Road Again", originally broadcast as a local program under the title "Country Report", and now expanded to present profiles of personalities from across the country. Moreover, station representatives emphasized that local viewers see the reflection of their own activities as well those of the artists, writers and performers of their community, through the increased use of regional material in network programs such as "Sports Weekend", "Adrienne Clarkson's Summer Festival", "Meeting Place" and "Best Years".
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With respect to the CBC's regionalization plan, the Commission is concerned that CBOT's overall program strategy for the new licence term will be determined to a large extent by the network's expectation that the station play a major role in network information programming. CBOT has an obligation to fulfill its regional and local programming responsibilities however, and the Commission encourages initiatives such as its development of the half-hour comedy pilot with local comedy troupe "Skit Row". Accordingly, the Commission expects the licensee, over the new licence term, to continue to provide the network with programs in under represented categories, in addition to its news and information contributions.
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CBOT has committed to continue to broadcast, as a minimum, the existing level of 10 hours 35 minutes of original local production over the new licence term. The Commission notes CBOT's commitment to maintain the level and quality of its local information programming, and to continue the production of "Switchback". CBOT also indicated its intention to feature occasional information specials and forums over the new licence term, as well as to continue its coverage of community and regional special events. The Commission expects the licensee to ensure that CBOT, at a minimum, achieves the level of local production set out in the Promise of Performance submitted as part of its licence renewal application.
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The Commission notes CBOT's commitment to produce an additional half-hour in 1991/92 for broadcast in the evening broadcast period and a second half-hour for broadcast outside of this time period depending on available funding. In its application, CBOT proposed that it would produce an information magazine styled after CBLT's "Monitor" and CBUT's "Pacific Report" and a weekly studio-based interview program to increase community access to the station. Should these changes result in a substantial variation in Schedule I of the Promise of Performance, CBOT should so advise the Commission.
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According to the revised expenditure projections set out in its renewal application, CBOT will spend $14,380,000 on Canadian programming in the first year of the new licence term, increasing to $17,093,000 in year five, including programming that receives network distribution. In accordance with the percentage allocation for local productions filed by the licensee the Commission notes that expenditures for CBOT's local programming will range from $6,097,120 to $7,691,850 for the years referred to above. At the hearing the licensee stated that these amounts are representative of production levels that the station is currently achieving and constitute the minimum that the station will expend over the next five years.
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Over the new licence term CBOT has projected capital expenditures of $2,321,000 for technical improvements to its studio and transmission facilities, the most significant being the refurbishing of the station's mobile production unit at an estimated cost of $750,000.
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While CBOT's renewal application made no specific commitments to provide access to its programming for the hearing impaired, the Commission notes the CBC's plans with regard to its owned and operated stations, as discussed in the Public Notice introducing the decisions released today. In this respect, the Commission expects CBOT to acquire as soon as possible, the necessary equipment to caption at a minimum, headlines and appropriate scripted portions of its early evening newscasts during the new licence term.
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In renewing this licence, the Commission also authorizes CBOT to make use of the Vertical Blanking Interval. The Commission expects the licensee to adhere to the guidelines set out in Appendix A to Public Notice CRTC 1989-23 dated 23 March 1989 entitled "Services Using the Vertical Blanking Interval (Television) or Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (FM)".
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The Commission also expects CBOT to acquire a telephone device for the deaf (TDD) during the first year of the new licence term and install it wherever is most appropriate, such as in the master control room, to ensure that deaf and hearing-impaired viewers have access to the station over the entire broadcast day.
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Having assessed CBOT's performance over the current licence term, including the station's local news and information programming and its efforts to develop quality children's series in association with the local independent production community, and taking into account the licensee's commitments for the next five years, the Commission is satisfied that CBOT's licence should be renewed for a full term.
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The Commission received four letters of support for CBOT's renewal application from Noreen Young Productions Inc., the Ottawa Police Force, École Secondaire De-la-Salle and the "Skit Row" comedy troupe.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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APPENDIX
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Conditions of licence for CBOT Ottawa, CBOT-1 Foymount, CBOT-2 Barry's Bay, CBOT-3 Whitney, CBOT-4 Maynooth, CBOT-5 McArthur's Mills, Ontario
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1. The licensee shall adhere to the CBC guidelines on sex-role stereotyping, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission. Until such time as the Commission has approved the revised CBC guidelines, the CBC shall adhere to its current guidelines on sex-role stereotyping (as set out in Part C of Appendix A to Public Notice CRTC 1986-351 dated 22 December 1986) and, as a minimum, to the CAB's guidelines on sex-role stereotyping, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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2. The licensee shall adhere to the standards for children's advertising set out in the Corporation's Advertising Standards Policy C-5 dated 4 June 1986 and entitled "Advertising Directed to Children Under 12 Years of Age", as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission, provided that the policy meets as a minimum the standards set out in the CAB's The Broadcast Code for Children, revised in January 1988, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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Further, the licensee shall not broadcast any commercial message during any child-directed programming or any child-directed commercial message between programs directed to children of pre-school age. For the purpose of this condition, programs directed to children and scheduled before 12:00 noon during school-day morning hours will be deemed to be programs directed to children of pre-school age.
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