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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2025-140

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Reference: 2025-48 and 2025-140-1

Gatineau, 12 June 2025

Rogers Communications Inc.
Across Canada

Public record: 2024-0615-7

Toronto Raptors Network Ltd. (NBA TV [Canada]) – Change in ownership and effective control

Summary

The Commission approves, by majority decision, an application by Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers) for authority to change the ownership and effective control of the national English-language discretionary programming undertaking operating NBA TV (Canada). Through this transaction, Rogers will acquire from BCE Inc. its ownership stake in the holding company 8047286 Canada Inc. and as a result, will alone exercise control of the NBA TV (Canada) television service.

The Commission finds that approving this transaction is in the public interest, as it will help ensure that the service continues to serve various communities in Canada. Furthermore, the Commission proposes to order Rogers to pay $3,720,578 in tangible benefits directed to multiple funds and initiatives that will contribute to the Canadian broadcasting industry. Lastly, the Commission proposes to order the licensee to file monthly reports to the Commission outlining its efforts to improve the quality of closed captioning for live programming on its NBA TV (Canada) service.  

Application

  1. On 27 November 2024, the Commission received an application from Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers), on behalf of BCE Inc. (BCE), 8018235 Canada Limited (8018235), 7680147 Canada Inc. (7680147), 8047286 Canada Inc. (8047286), and Toronto Raptors Network Ltd. (TRNL), for authority to change the ownership and effective control of TRNL, the licensee of the national English-language discretionary programming undertaking operating as NBA TV (Canada).Footnote 1
  2. The application to change the ownership and effective control of the service NBA TV (Canada) is part of a larger transaction to acquire BCE’s controlling interest in operations that are not regulated by the Commission, including Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. Specifically, Rogers’s subsidiary 8018235 would acquire from BCE all of its shares in 7680147. The purchase price for all issued and outstanding shares of 7680147 is valued at $4,700,000,000.
  3. Rogers is a Canadian company ultimately controlled by Rogers Control Trust.
  4. BCE is a publicly traded corporation effectively controlled by its board of directors.
  5. As a result of the transaction, Rogers would effectively own a 75% interest in TRNL, the entity operating the NBA TV (Canada) service. The remaining 25% interest is held by Kilmer Sports Inc., a company that is wholly owned and controlled by Lawrence Tanenbaum, a Canadian.
  6. Rogers proposed a value of the transaction of $37,205,782, which includes the purchase price, long-term debt, and the total value of a lease payable over five years. Rogers also proposed a tangible benefits package of $3,720,578, which represents 10% of the proposed value of the transaction.

Interventions

  1. The Commission received interventions from the College of Sports Media Inc., Aboriginal Peoples Television Network Incorporated (APTN), the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC), the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC), the Ontario Library Association (OLA), the Deaf Wireless Canada Committee (DWCC), and Canadians for a Greater Canada (CGC), the latter of which was filed in confidence.
  2. The interventions and replies are addressed below.

Regulatory framework

  1. The review of ownership transactions is an essential element of the Commission’s regulatory and supervisory mandate under the Broadcasting Act (the Act). Obtaining a licence to operate a broadcasting undertaking (in this case, a discretionary service) is a regulatory privilege granted by the Commission. A licensee does not have the authority to transfer a licence to a new operator as they see fit.
  2. For this reason, licensees must obtain the Commission’s approval before entering into any action, agreement, or transaction that changes, directly or indirectly, the effective control of the discretionary programming undertaking. This requirement is set out in subsection 10(4) of the Discretionary Services Regulations (the Regulations).Footnote 2
  3. When seeking the Commission’s approval, the applicant must demonstrate that the benefits of the transaction are commensurate with the size and nature of the transaction and that the application represents the best possible proposal under the circumstances. The Commission will consider the application on its merits and will approve the transaction if the change in ownership and effective control is in the public interest. The public interest is reflected in the Canadian broadcasting and regulatory policy set out in subsections 3(1) and 5(2) of the Act.

Issues

  1. After examining the record for this application in light of applicable regulations and policies, the Commission considers that it must address the following issues:
    • whether the applicant’s ownership structure satisfies the requirements for Canadian ownership and control;
    • whether the proposed transaction is in the public interest;
    • the value of the transaction and tangible benefits;
    • the allocation of tangible benefits; and
    • compliance with regulatory requirements.

Canadian ownership and control

  1. Pursuant to paragraph 3(1)(a) of the Act, the Canadian broadcasting system shall be effectively owned and controlled by Canadians. As required by the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility of Non-Canadians)Footnote 3 (the Direction), no broadcasting licence can be issued to a non-Canadian.
  2. Rogers’s application meets the Canadian ownership requirements, as Rogers is a Canadian-incorporated entity that is owned and controlled by Canadians. As a result of this transaction, Rogers, through its wholly owned entity 8047286, would hold a 75% controlling interest in, and would exercise effective control of, NBA TV (Canada).
  3. As such, the proposed transaction satisfies the eligibility criteria set out in the Direction.

Public interest of the proposed transaction

  1. When the Commission evaluates whether a transaction is in the public interest, it examines the extent to which the transaction improves the Canadian broadcasting system and contributes to meeting the policy objectives of the Act. Section 3 of that Act describes a broadcasting system that contributes to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming, and through its programming reflects the multicultural and multiracial nature of Canadian society.
  2. Furthermore, as mentioned in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2014-459, since the Commission does not solicit competitive applications for changes in effective control of broadcasting undertakings, the onus is on the applicant to demonstrate that:
    • approval of the transaction is in the public interest and in accordance with the objectives of the Act; and
    • the benefits, both tangible and intangible, of the transaction are commensurate with the size and nature of the transaction.
Commission’s decision
  1. Rogers is currently a minority owner and exercises joint control with BCE. Through this transaction, Rogers would own 75% of the shares, which would result in it exercising effective control over NBA TV (Canada). As such, Canadians can expect to have continued access to the NBA TV (Canada) service.
  2. The Commission considers that the tangible benefits package of $3,720,578, as calculated by the Commission, is in line with the Tangible Benefits Policy and will benefit the Canadian broadcasting system.
  3. In light of the above, the Commission finds that approval of this transaction is in the public interest.

Value of the transaction and tangible benefits

  1. The Commission notes that the public interest is served by requiring that the person or the qualified corporation acquiring the assets and effective control make financial contributions to Canadian content development (CCD) that are proportionate to the size and nature of the transaction. These contributions are known as “tangible benefits.” The Commission’s policy on tangible benefits is set out in the Tangible Benefits Policy.Footnote 4 Tangible benefits serve the public interest because they increase the quantity and quality of Canadian programming and support the creation, distribution and promotion of such programming. Since the Commission does not solicit competing applications for changes to the ownership or effective control of broadcasting undertakings, the Commission requires that applicants propose tangible benefits when they seek the Commission’s approval to change the effective control of radio and television programming services.
  2. The amount of tangible benefits payable depends on the value of the transaction. In the case of television undertakings, tangible benefits represent at a minimum 10% of the value of the transaction. The Commission looks at the value of the transaction as a whole, including the value of gross debt, working capital to be transferred at the close of the transaction, ancillary agreements, and any leases assumed by the purchaser for real property (buildings, studios, and offices) and transmission facilities. The value of leases is calculated over a period of five years. These elements, if applicable, are added to the purchase price.
  3. Rogers calculated the value of the transaction by adding the purchase price ($4,700,000,000) to the value of the lease of the premises on 50 Bay Street and to the value of the long-term debt. The amounts for the lease and debt were prorated to reflect the percentage of the interest Rogers is acquiring from BCE (37.5%). As a result, Rogers proposed a value of the transaction of $4,813,167,147.
  4. Consistent with its practice when reviewing transactions where a percentage of ownership is being acquired, the Commission has adopted the prorated amounts proposed by Rogers for the 50 Bay Street lease and the long-term debt when calculating the total value of the transaction.
  5. In light of the above, the Commission finds that the value of the transaction for all the regulated and non-regulated assets is $4,813,167,147.
  6. Since this transaction involves a mix of television and other assets and operations that are not regulated by the Commission, Rogers proposed to calculate the value of the tangible benefits based on the proportion of the revenues of NBA TV (Canada) relative to the total revenues from all assets that are part of the transaction.Footnote 5 Rogers initially submitted that the revenues of NBA TV (Canada) represent 0.771% of the total revenues from all assets and as a result proposed a value of the transaction for the regulated assets of $37,109,518. Rogers subsequently revised that proportion to 0.773% of the total revenues from all assets that are part of the transaction.
  7. Per the revenue allocation method described in the Tangible Benefits Policy and the revised proportion of 0.773%, the Commission determines that the value of the transaction for the regulated assets is $37,205,782, calculated as follows:
    - Proportion of value of transactionFootnote 6 Proportional amount of value of transaction
    Non-regulated operations 99.227% $4,775,961,365
    Television Operations NBA TV (Canada) 0.773% $37,205,782
Allocation of tangible benefits
  1. As per paragraph 21 of the Tangible Benefits Policy, in the case of applications for a change in control of a television undertaking, the Commission requires that tangible benefits are streamlined, incremental, non-self-serving and directed mainly to the production of Canadian programming. They should also be directed as follows:
    • at least 80% of all tangible benefits relating to changes in the effective control of licensed television undertakings shall be allocated to the funds unless a compelling case is made that other measures could better meet the public interest;
    • of this amount, at least 60% shall be allocated to the Canada Media Fund (CMF) and no more than 40% to the Certified Independent Production Funds (CIPFs) unless a compelling case is made that another allocation formula could better meet the public interest; and
    • the remaining 20% can be allocated to eligible discretionary initiatives as proposed by the applicant.
Positions of parties
  1. Rogers proposed a tangible benefits package of $3,710,952, which represents 10% of the value of the transaction ($37,109,518) as calculated by Rogers for the discretionary television service NBA TV (Canada). These tangible benefits will be allocated as follows:
    • 80% to be allocated to production funds:
      • 60% to CMF; and
      • 40% to the Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Fund.
    • 20% to eligible discretionary initiatives:
      • a $10,000 per year scholarship in sports production from the College of Sports Media; and
      • the remaining amount to be allocated to the Diversity in Sports Initiative, which supports the development and production of Canadian live sports and sports-themed programming in Indigenous and third languages.
  2. In its intervention, the WGC stated that the Commission should establish and make public a policy or procedure to ensure that tangible benefits administered by the CMF and/or CIPFs remain within the linguistic market of the service to be acquired.
  3. In its intervention, the OLA requested that $350,000 of tangible benefits be allocated to the Schreiber Media Centre and the rest to the Community Access Media Program (approximately $3.3 million).
  4. Finally, in its intervention, the DWCC requested that a portion of the tangible benefits be directed to American Sign Language or Langue des signes québécoise accessibility initiatives, ensuring that sign language users benefit from this transaction.
  5. In its reply, Rogers stated that the WGC’s intervention raises broad policy issues relating to the Commission’s tangible benefits policy that are not specific to its application. It added that it would not be appropriate for the Commission to modify its tangible benefits policy in the context of an individual application.
  6. With respect to the intervention by the OLA, Rogers stated that apart from being inconsistent with the Commission’s policy requiring 80% of the tangible benefits to be allocated to the CMF and CIPFs, the suggestion that tangible benefits should be payable to a library and a community media program in the absence of any change to the Commission’s longstanding policy is not appropriate.
  7. In reply to the interventions concerning the allocation of tangible benefits as a whole, Rogers stated that the proper forum for the interveners to address their concerns would be a policy proceeding on the tangible benefits framework that would allow all interested parties to express their views before the Commission.
Commission’s decision
  1. With respect to the intervention by the WGC, the Commission is of the view that any policy changes to the allocation of tangible benefits as prescribed in the Tangible Benefits Policy should be made in the context of a broader review of that policy.
  2. Regarding the intervention by the OLA and the DWCC, and based on the record of this proceeding, the Commission finds that Rogers’s proposed allocation of tangible benefits is in line with the Tangible Benefits Policy. While the interveners’ proposals are laudable, accepting them would result in reduced support for the eligible recipients proposed by the applicant.
  3. Under the Tangible Benefits Policy, it is the responsibility of the applicants to propose tangible benefits that are proportionate to the size and nature of the transaction and that yield measurable improvements to the communities served by the broadcasting undertaking to be acquired, as well as to the Canadian broadcasting system as a whole. In this case, Rogers has proposed that the tangible benefits be directed mainly to the production of Canadian programming, in a manner that is consistent with the Tangible Benefits Policy. As a result, the Commission accepts the proposed allocation and reminds Rogers that tangible benefits must be administered in a manner that serves the public interest and does not advance the licensee’s commercial objectives.
  4. In light of the above, the Commission finds that Rogers should be required to allocate $3,720,578 in tangible benefits, which represents 10% of the value of the transaction.
  5. The Commission considers that the tangible benefits should be allocated as follows:
    80% – Production funds ($2,976,462)
    CMF (60%) $1,785,877 ($255,125 per year)
    Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Fund (40%) $1,190,585 ($170,084 per year)
    20% – Discretionary initiatives ($744,116)
    Scholarship in sports production from the College of Sports Media $70,000 ($10,000 per year)
    Diversity in Sports Initiative, supporting the development and production of Canadian live sports and sports-themed programming in Indigenous and third languages $674,116 ($96,302 per year)
  6. The Commission further reminds Rogers that, as set out in the Tangible Benefits Policy, benefits should not be self-serving. In this respect, the Commission notes certain proposals involving partnerships between the purchaser and third-party broadcasters. These initiatives can support important policy objectives, including the promotion of Indigenous-language programming. However, such partnerships must be structured in a way that ensures the independence of the partner organization and that ensures the benefits are not directed in a manner that primarily serves the licensee’s own interests. Examples of self-serving initiatives include, but are not limited to:
    • an initiative in which monies are retained in-house, that is, one that does not involve payments of any kind to an independent party;
    • an initiative that would normally be considered the cost of doing business, including:
      • technological upgrades,
      • improvements to existing programming, or
      • other capital expenditures;
    • an on-screen initiative produced by and exclusively for the applicant;
    • an initiative devoted to the fulfilment of an existing contract or venture of any variety; and
    • an initiative related to programming that is already broadcast by a service that is owned or controlled by the purchaser or by the service to be acquired.
  7. The modernized Act now includes express provisions relating to the imposition of expenditure requirements. As a result, tangible benefits must be imposed by order made pursuant to subsection 11.1(2) of the Act. Accordingly, the Commission considers it appropriate to order Rogers Communications Inc., the parent corporation and entity ultimately obtaining control of the NBA TV (Canada) service to allocate $3,720,578 in tangible benefits, to be paid in equal instalments over seven consecutive broadcast years, consistent with the Tangible Benefits Policy.
  8. In addition, the Commission considers it appropriate, pursuant to subsection 9.1(1) of the Act, to order Rogers Communications Inc. to file all proof of payment and eligibility regarding these contributions each year in a form deemed acceptable by the Commission consistent with subsection 9(1) of the Regulations. The Commission also considers it appropriate to order Rogers Communications Inc. to report, as part of its Annual Return required under subsection 9(2) of the Regulations, on its progress in making these payments. The report should also include a breakdown of where and how the benefits money has been spent, as well as demonstrate that the sums have not been used in a self-serving manner. As is consistent with past practice, these reports will be made publicly available on the Commission’s website.

Compliance with regulatory requirements

Positions of parties
  1. In their interventions, the DWCC and FRPC both noted that NBA TV (Canada) dealt with apparent non-compliance issues related to the provision and quality of closed captioning. The interveners stated that the Commission should require Rogers to increase its expenditure on closed captioning and submit compliance reports. The DWCC also requested that the Commission require Rogers to integrate sign language into NBA TV (Canada)’s programming.
  2. In its reply, Rogers stated that it opposed additional accessibility obligations but would offer assistance to NBA TV (Canada) to ensure that its closed captioning and other accessibility initiatives are improved.
Commission’s decision
  1. The Commission notes that NBA TV (Canada)’s compliance with closed captioning obligations for advertising, sponsorship messages, and promotions during its previous licence term was addressed during its last licence renewal (Broadcasting Decision 2020-289). At the time, the Commission determined that NBA TV (Canada) was in compliance with its conditions of licence, and that the apparent non-compliance was the result of a reporting error during the transition of its programming systems to a different platform.
  2. In regard to the compliance concerns for the current licence period, the Commission has reviewed NBA TV (Canada)’s closed captioning reports for 2023 and 2024 and notes that it did not meet the threshold for closed captioning accuracy required for live programming in 2023 and 2024. While some improvement has occurred, the Commission is of the view that increased reporting for NBA TV (Canada) should be required until its live programming evaluations routinely meet or surpass the threshold for accuracy.
  3. Regarding the FRPC’s suggestion that NBA TV (Canada) should be required to increase its expenditure on closed captioning, the Commission notes that it has not required specific expenditures on closed captioning by any broadcaster in the past. However, should the recommended additional reporting requirements prove ineffective, the Commission is of the view that it may be appropriate to consider further measures.
  4. With respect to the DWCC’s request that the Commission require NBA TV (Canada) to fund and integrate sign language into its programming, the Commission is of the view that this matter should be considered in the context of a policy proceeding and not in the context of this ownership transaction. Accordingly, the Commission will not require any additional conditions for sign language as part of this transaction.
  5. Concerning the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 broadcast years, the Commission finds that NBA TV (Canada) was in non-compliance with the English-language closed captioning mandatory quality standard 3, as set out in Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2019-308.
  6. In light of the above, the Commission considers it appropriate to order NBA TV (Canada) to file monthly reports to the Commission outlining its efforts to improve the quality of closed captioning for live programming in addition to its standard closed captioning reporting requirements. The filing of these monthly reports should continue until NBA TV (Canada) has met or exceeded the threshold for accuracy for at least six consecutive months.

Conclusion

  1. In light of all of the above, the Commission approves, by majority decision, the application from Rogers Communications Inc., on behalf of BCE Inc., 8018235 Canada Limited, 7680147 Canada Inc., 8047286 Canada Inc., and Toronto Raptors Network Ltd. for authority to change the ownership and effective control of the national English-language discretionary programming undertaking operating the service NBA TV (Canada).
  2. The undertakings will be subject to the terms set out in the appendices to this decision. The licensee will also continue to be subject to the conditions of service as set out in Appendix 2 to Broadcasting Decision 2020-289, subject to the modifications identified below. The Commission further proposes to make orders imposing additional conditions on the abovementioned undertakings following the close of the transaction as identified below.
  3. The Commission directs Rogers Communications Inc. to notify the Commission of the close of the transaction and to submit the final agreement related to the transaction, including all annexes, schedules, and associated documentation, to the Commission within 30 days of the closing date of the transaction.
  4. The Commission notes that the formal broadcasting licence document issued to a licensee may set out additional requirements for the undertaking, relating to, for example, technical parameters or prohibition on transfer. The licensee shall, therefore, also adhere to any such requirements set out in the broadcasting licences for the undertakings.
  5. In regard to the proposed orders in paragraphs 60 to 64 of this decision, consistent with subsections 9.1(4) and 11.1(7) of the Act, interested persons may make representations only on the proposed orders by no later than 23 June 2025, and the undertakings may submit a reply to any representations received by no later than 30 June 2025. The Commission will issue a final order following the close of the comment period and its review of the submissions of the parties, if any.
  6. Interested persons who wish to make representations on the proposed orders may do so on the Commission’s public proceedings webpage.

The proposed orders

Standard conditions of service

  1. There are standard conditions of service that apply to all undertakings of a particular class. The Commission notes that the standard conditions to which NBA TV (Canada) is currently subject have been updated. As a result, the Commission considers it appropriate that the licensee should adhere to the revised standard conditions of service for discretionary services set out in Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2023-306.
  2. Further, pursuant to subsection 49(2) of the Online Streaming Act, any regulation made under paragraphs 10(1)(a) or 10(1)(i) of the old Broadcasting Act is deemed to be an order made under section 9.1 of the new Broadcasting Act. As a result, the Commission considers it appropriate to require that the licensee adhere to these requirements as conditions of service.
  3. Accordingly, pursuant to subsection 9.1(1) of the Act, the Commission proposes to order NBA TV (Canada) to adhere to the standard conditions of service set out in Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2023-306, as well as to all applicable requirements set out in the Regulations, that were made under paragraph 10(1)(a) or under paragraph 10(1)(i) of the old Act.

Closed captioning

  1. Further, pursuant to subsection 9.1(1) of the Act, the Commission proposes to order NBA TV (Canada) to file monthly reports to the Commission outlining its efforts to improve the quality of closed captioning for live programming. In addition, pursuant to subsection 9.1(1) of the Act, the Commission proposes to order NBA TV (Canada) to include in those reports the monthly evaluations for closed captioning accuracy for two ten-minute live program segments in accordance with Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2019-308 and to continue filing these reports until NBA TV (Canada) has met or exceeded the closed captioning threshold for accuracy for at least six consecutive months.
  2. The specifics of the proposed orders are set out in Appendix 2 to this decision and will be reflected in the conditions of service for the undertaking.

Tangible Benefits

  1. Pursuant to subsection 11.1(2) of the Act, the Commission proposes to order Rogers Communications Inc., the parent corporation and entity ultimately obtaining control of the service NBA TV (Canada), to pay tangible benefits in the amount of $3,720,578, to be paid in equal instalments over seven consecutive broadcast years and allocated in a manner consistent with the Tangible Benefits Policy.
  2. Further, pursuant to subsection 9.1(1), the Commission proposes to order Rogers Communications Inc., the parent corporation and entity ultimately obtaining control of the service NBA TV (Canada), to file all proof of payment and eligibility regarding these contributions each year in a form deemed acceptable by the Commission, consistent with subsection 9(1) of the Regulations. Further, the Commission proposes to order Rogers Communications Inc. to report, as part of its Annual Return required under section 9(2) of the Regulations, on its progress in making these payments. The report should also include a breakdown of where and how the benefits money has been expended, as well as demonstrate that the sums have not been used in a self-serving manner.
  3. The specifics of the proposed orders are set out in Appendix 3 to this decision.

Reminders

Employment equity

  1. Because this licensee is subject to the Employment Equity Act and files reports concerning employment equity with the Department of Employment and Social Development (also known as Employment and Social Development Canada), its employment equity practices are not examined by the Commission.
  2. The Commission notes that the amendments to the Broadcasting Act resulting from the Online Streaming Act place greater emphasis on the inclusion of equity-deserving communities and individuals in the broadcasting system. As a result, the Commission may examine its diversity-related policies in the context of the consultations on diversity and inclusion announced in its Regulatory plan to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework. In the meantime, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider the amendments to the Broadcasting Act when making operational decisions.

Secretary General

Related documents

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2025-140

Term, expectation and encouragement for the national English-language discretionary service NBA TV (Canada)

Term

The licence will expire 31 August 2026.

Expectation

The standard expectations for discretionary services are set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of service for licensed discretionary services, national news discretionary services and mainstream sports discretionary services and exemption order for exempt discretionary services – Modifications to the advertising time limit requirement, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-306 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2023-307, 5 September 2023.

Encouragement

The standard encouragements for discretionary services are set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of service for licensed discretionary services, national news discretionary services and mainstream sports discretionary services and exemption order for exempt discretionary services – Modifications to the advertising time limit requirement, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-306 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2023-307, 5 September 2023.

Appendix 2 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2025-140

Proposed conditions of service for the national English-language discretionary service NBA TV (Canada)

The Commission proposes to make orders imposing the following conditions of service, on Toronto Raptors Network Ltd. (the licensee), in respect to the national English-language discretionary service NBA TV (Canada), pursuant to subsections 9.1(1) of the Broadcasting Act.

Conditions of service

  1. The licensee shall adhere to the standard conditions of service for discretionary services set out in Appendix 1 to Standard conditions of service for licensed discretionary services, national news discretionary services and mainstream sports discretionary services and exemption order for exempt discretionary services – Modifications to the advertising time limit requirement, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2023-306 and Broadcasting Order CRTC 2023-307, 5 September 2023, as well as to the requirements set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.
  2. The licensee shall adhere to the applicable requirements set out in the Discretionary Services Regulations, that were made under paragraph 10(1)(a) or under paragraph 10(1)(i) of the old Broadcasting Act.
  3. In addition to its standard closed captioning reporting requirements, the licensee shall:
    • file monthly reports to the Commission outlining its efforts to improve the quality of closed captioning for live programming;
    • include in those reports the monthly evaluations for closed captioning accuracy for two ten-minute live program segments in accordance with English-language closed captioning mandatory quality standards relating to the accuracy rate for live television programming, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2019-308, 30 August 2019; and
    • continue filing these reports until NBA TV (Canada) has met or exceeded the threshold for closed captioning accuracy for at least six consecutive months.

Appendix 3 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2025-140

Proposed orders for the national English-language discretionary service NBA TV (Canada)

The Commission proposes to make orders related to expenditures, on Rogers Communications Inc., in respect to the national English-language discretionary service NBA TV (Canada), pursuant to subsections 11.1(2) and 9.1(1) of the Broadcasting Act.

Orders

  1. In order to fulfill its commitment relating to tangible benefits, Rogers Communications Inc., shall expend, in equal payments over seven consecutive broadcast years and by no later than 31 August of each year, a total amount of $3,720,578, allocated as follows:
    • 80% to production funds, of which 60% will be devoted to the Canada Media Fund and 40% will be devoted to the Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Fund; and
    • 20% to eligible discretionary initiatives, of which $10,000 per year will be devoted to a scholarship in sports production from the College of Sports Media, with the remaining amount allocated to the Diversity in Sports Initiative, which supports the development and production of Canadian live sports and sports-themed programming in Indigenous and third languages.
  2. Rogers Communications Inc. shall file all proof of payment and eligibility regarding these contributions each year in a form deemed acceptable by the Commission consistent with subsection 9(1) of the Discretionary Services Regulations.
  3. Further, Rogers Communications Inc. shall report, as part of its Annual Return required under section 9(2) of the Discretionary Services Regulations, on its progress in making these payments. The report should also include a breakdown of where and how the benefits money has been expended, as well as demonstrate that the sums have not been used in a self-serving manner.
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