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Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 1995-2-1
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Ottawa, 3 February 1995
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ISSUE NO. 2
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HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA
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4 APRIL 1995, 9:00 A.M.
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40. LAHAVE, RIVERPORT AND SURROUNDING AREAS, Nova Scotia
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The Commission hereby calls RIVERPORT SATELLITE T.V. LIMITED (RSTV) to the Public Hearing commencing on 4 April 1995 at the World Trade & Convention Centre, 18100 Argyle Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia in order to show cause as to why its licence for a (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking should be renewed.
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RSTV system was originally licensed in Decision CRTC 86-152, dated 3 March 1986. In Decision CRTC 90-917, dated 19 September 1990, the Commission renewed RSTV's licence until 31 August 1995. RSTV is licensed to provide a low-power, over-the-air subscription television (STV) service to LaHave, Riverport and surrounding areas.
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In Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 1992-17-1, dated 18 December 1992, the Commission called the licensee to appear at a public hearing in Moncton, New Brunswick beginning on 17 February 1993, to discuss the licensee's failure to respond to complaints from subscribers, as well as to correspondence from the Commission and the Department of Communications (now called Industry Canada). The Commission also indicated that it wished to discuss the licensee's apparent failure to provide service to a significant portion of its authorized area.
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Following the Public Hearing, the Commission in Public Notice CRTC 1993-100, dated 30 June 1993, reviewed these issues. The Commission viewed with grave concern RSTV'S continued failure to respond satisfactorily to the concerns of its subscribers, Industry Canada and the Commission. The Commission also put RSTV on notice that, if it did not fully rectify and address the specific problems and areas of concern set out in Public Notice CRTC 1993-100, the Commission intended, among other things, to call the licensee to a public hearing to show cause as to why its licence should be renewed at the time of the next licence renewal.
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The Commission continues to be concerned with the licensee's performance, and its apparent failure to correct the difficulties identified in Public Notice CRTC 1993-100. In particular, the Commission will wish to discuss with the licensee what would appear to be a failure to provide satisfactory responses to subscriber complaints, a failure to provide timely responses to Commission correspondence, undue delays in the licensee's response to service calls, a poor quality of customer service, and a failure to provide all of its licensed program-ming services to its subscribers.
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By letters dated 26 May 1994 and 2 September 1994, the Commission reminded the licensee that if it was its intention to carry on the broadcasting undertaking after the expiry date of the current licence, it was necessary to complete and file a licence renewal application form. The two deadlines given passed without the Commission having received the completed application and other relevant information requested.
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By letter dated 1 December 1994, the Commission advised the licensee that should its completed licence renewal application form and other information requested not be received by 16 December 1994, the Commission might not be able to renew the licence and therefore the authority to operate would expire on 31 August 1995. The Commission has not received the form and information requested.
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All interested parties wishing to comment on the operation of this (radiocommunication) distribution undertaking must send their comments to the Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0N2, by 14 March 1995.
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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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