Vol. 137, No. 13 — June 18, 2003
Registration
SOR/2003-217 5 June, 2003
BROADCASTING ACT
Whereas, pursuant to subsection 10(3) of the Broadcasting Act (see footnote a) , a copy of the proposed Regulations Amending the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations, substantially in the form set out in the annexed Regulations, was published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, on, January 11, 2003, and a reasonable opportunity was thereby given to licensees and other interested persons to make representations to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission with respect to the proposed Regulations;
Therefore, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, pursuant to subsection 10(1) of the Broadcasting Act (see footnote b) , hereby makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations.
Hull, Quebec, June 5, 2003
REGULATIONS AMENDING THE BROADCASTING DISTRIBUTION REGULATIONS
AMENDMENTS
1. (1) The definitions "available channel", "basic service", "Class 1 licensee", "Class 2 licensee", "Class 3 licensee", "community channel", "community programming", "extra-regional television station", "licensed area", "licensee", "local AM station", "local digital radio station", "local FM station", "local head end", "local television station", "regional television station" and "restricted channel" in section 1 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations (see footnote 1) are replaced by the following:
"available channel" means any unrestricted channel of a distribution undertaking in a licensed area, other than a channel on which is distributed
"basic service" means the services distributed in a licensed area by a licensee as a package consisting of the programming services the distribution of which is required under sections 17, 22, 32 or 37, or a condition of its licence, and any other services that are included in the package for a single fee. (service de base)
"Class 1 licensee" means the holder of a Class 1 licence or a Class 1 regional licence. (titulaire de classe 1)
"Class 2 licensee" means
"Class 3 licensee" means
"community channel" means the channel of a distribution undertaking that is used for the distribution of community programming in a licensed area. (canal communautaire)
"community programming" means, in relation to a licensed area, programming that is produced
"extra-regional television station" means, in relation to a licensed area of a distribution undertaking, a licensed television station that has
"licensed area" means an area for which a licensee has been licensed to carry on a distribution undertaking. (zone de desserte autorisée)
"licensee" means a person who is authorized by a licence or a regional licence to carry on one or more distribution undertakings. (titulaire)
"local AM station" means, in relation to a licensed area of a distribution undertaking, a licensed AM station that has its principal studio located within 32 km of the local head end of the licensed area. (station AM locale)
"local digital radio station" means, in relation to a licensed area of a distribution undertaking, a licensed digital radio station that has a digital service area that includes any part of the licensed area. (station de radio numérique locale)
"local FM station" means, in relation to a licensed area of a distribution undertaking, a licensed FM station that has a 500 µV/m official contour that includes any part of the licensed area. (station FM locale)
"local head end", in respect of
"local television station", in relation to a licensed area of a distribution undertaking, means a licensed television station that
"regional television station" means, in relation to a licensed area of a distribution undertaking, a licensed television station, other than a local television station, that has a Grade B official contour that includes any part of the licensed area. (station de télévision régionale)
"restricted channel" means, in relation to a licensed area of a cable distribution undertaking, a channel of that undertaking that is the same channel on which signals are transmitted by
(2) Section 1 of the Regulations is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:
"regional licence" means a licence issued by the Commission that authorizes the licensee to carry on distribution undertakings in two or more licensed areas. (licence régionale)
2. Subsection 6(3) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(3) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, this section does not apply to a Class 3 licensee in respect of a licensed area in which the licensee only distributes programming services on the basic band.
3. The portion of section 7 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
7. A licensee shall not alter or delete a programming service in a licensed area in the course of its distribution except
4. Section 16.1 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
16.1 A licensee that is operating in a licensed area that is an anglophone market within the meaning of paragraph 18(4)(b) shall distribute on an analog basis, in the licensed area, at least the same number of French-language Canadian programming services as it distributed on an analog basis in the licensed area on March 10, 2000.
5. (1) The portion of subsection 17(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
17. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (3) to (6) or under a condition of its licence, a licensee shall distribute in each licensed area the following as part of its basic service, in the following order of priority:
(2) Subsection 17(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) A licensee of a cable distribution undertaking shall distribute in each licensed area the programming services referred to in subsection (1) beginning with the basic band.
(3) Subsections 17(5) and (6) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(5) If the Commission has determined that a programming service is of national public interest and has licensed the service as a mandatory service, the licensee shall distribute the service in each licensed area as part of the basic service.
(6) If the programming services of two or more television stations rank equally in the order of priority established by this section, unless the operators of the stations agree otherwise in writing, a licensee shall give priority
6. (1) Subsection 18(3) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(3) For the purposes of this section, other than subsections (11) to (11.5), a licensee makes use of digital technology for the delivery of programming to subscribers in a licensed area when at least 15% of its subscribers in the licensed area receive one or more programming services on a digital basis.
(2) The portion of subsection 18(4) of the Regulations before paragraph (b) is replaced by the following:
(4) For the purpose of this section, in a licensed area
(3) Subsections 18(6) and (7) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(6) If a licensee is distributing a pay-per-view service in a licensed area on more than 10 analog channels, the Commission may declare one or more channels in the licensed area to be available channels for the purposes of subsection (5).
(7) A licensee is not required to distribute in a licensed area, under subsection (5), the service of a programming undertaking that was licensed after May 6, 1996 if the only available channel in the licensed area is one on which the licensee is distributing a non-Canadian programming service that was distributed by the licensee in the licensed area before May 6, 1996.
(4) Subsection 18(8) of the French version of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(8) Si, selon une condition rattachée à la licence d'une entreprise de programmation, le Conseil autorise celle-ci à exiger que son service soit distribué soit à compter de la date à laquelle le titulaire utilise la technologie numérique pour distribuer des émissions aux abonnés, soit à compter du 1er septembre 1999, si cette date est antérieure, le titulaire n'est pas tenu de distribuer le service conformément au paragraphe (5) jusqu'à la plus rapprochée de ces deux dates.
(5) Subsections 18(9) to (11) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(9) Subject to subsection (10), if a licensee has not made use of digital technology for the delivery of programming to subscribers in a licensed area by September 1, 1999, the licensee shall distribute in the licensed area the programming service referred to in subsection (8) on an analog channel, unless the operator of the programming service agrees in writing to the distribution of its service on a digital basis.
(10) When a licensee makes use of digital technology for the delivery of programming to subscribers in a licensed area, the licensee may distribute in the licensed area the programming service referred to in subsection (8) on an analog channel or on a digital basis, or both.
(11) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee that delivers any programming service to any subscriber on a digital basis in a licensed area shall distribute in the licensed area, on a digital basis,
(6) The portion of subsection 18(11.1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
(11.1) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee that has a nominal capacity of at least 750 MHz in a licensed area and that makes use of digital technology for the delivery of any programming service in the licensed area shall distribute in the licensed area
(7) The portion of subsection 18(11.2) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
(11.2) Subject to subsection (11.3) and except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee that has a nominal capacity in a licensed area that is less than that referred to in subsection (11.1) and that makes use of digital technology for the delivery of any programming service in the licensed area shall distribute in the licensed area
(8) Subsections 18(11.4) and (11.5) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(11.4) For the purposes of paragraph (11.2)(a), any French-language programming service, other than a service that is required to be distributed in the licensed area pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(h) of the Act or section 17 of these Regulations, constitutes a French-language Canadian specialty service.
(11.5) For the purposes of paragraph (11.2)(b), any English-language programming service, other than a service that is required to be distributed in the licensed area pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(h) of the Act or section 17 of these Regulations, constitutes an English-language Canadian specialty service.
(9) Subsection 18(14) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(14) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee shall, for each Category 2 service of a related programming undertaking that it distributes in a licensed area, distribute at least five Category 2 services of any unrelated programming undertakings in the licensed area.
7. (1) The portion of section 19 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
19. Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, if a licensee satisfies the requirements of sections 17 and 18, it may distribute in any licensed area
(2) Paragraph 19(h) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
8. Section 19.1 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
19.1 Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee that delivers any programming service to any subscriber on a digital basis in a licensed area, and satisfies the requirements of section 18, may distribute in that licensed area, but only on a digital basis, any Category 1 service not distributed by the licensee under that section, and any Category 2 service.
9. Subsection 20(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) If a licensee distributes in a licensed area a programming service consisting of the proceedings of the legislature of the province in which the licensed area is located, the licensee shall include that service as part of its basic service, unless the operator of the programming service agrees in writing to the distribution of its service as a discretionary service.
10. Subsection 21(3) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(3) If a licensee distributes in a licensed area on one or more analog channels the programming services of an exempt programming undertaking of which the licensee or an affiliate, or both, controls 15% or more of the total shares issued and outstanding, the licensee shall make available in the licensed area an equal number of analog channels for the distribution of programming services of third party exempt programming undertakings.
11. The portion of subsection 22(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
22. (1) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a Class 1 licensee, and any Class 2 licensee that elects to distribute an audio programming service in a licensed area, shall distribute in the licensed area
12. (1) The portion of subsection 23(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
23. (1) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence or in subsection (2), a licensee may distribute in any licensed area
(2) The portion of subsection 23(2) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
(2) Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, no licensee shall distribute in a licensed area
13. Subsections 24(2) and (3) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(2) Subject to subsection (3), if a Class 1 licensee distributes in a licensed area the programming service of a pay audio programming undertaking of which the licensee or an affiliate, or both, controls 30% or more of the total shares issued and outstanding, the licensee shall distribute in the licensed area the programming service of at least one third party pay audio programming undertaking.
(3) A licensee is not required to distribute in a licensed area the programming service of a third party pay audio programming undertaking that is delivered to the licensee's head end in a format that is technically incompatible with the licensee's method of signal distribution.
14. (1) The portion of subsection 27(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
27. (1) If a licensee elects to distribute community programming, except as otherwise provided in subsections (2) and (3) or under a condition of its licence, a licensee shall not distribute on the community channel in a licensed area any programming service other than
(2) Paragraph 27(1)(d) of the French version of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(3) Paragraph 27(1)(e) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(4) Subsections 27(2) to (4) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(2) Whenever a licensee is not distributing community programming on the community channel in a licensed area, or is distributing on that channel community programming that has no audio component, the licensee may distribute on that channel the programming service of a local radio station, other than an educational radio programming service the operation of which is the responsibility of an educational authority.
(3) Whenever a Class 2 licensee is not distributing community programming on the community channel in a licensed area, the licensee may distribute in that licensed area the programming services referred to in Public Notice CRTC 1985-151, entitled Complementary Programming on the Community Channel.
(4) If a licensee provides time on the community channel in a licensed area during an election period for the distribution of programming of a partisan political character, the licensee shall allocate that time on an equitable basis among all accredited political parties and rival candidates.
15. (1) Paragraph 28(1)(a) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(a) keep a program log or a machine-readable record of programs distributed on the community channel in each licensed area and retain it for a period of one year after distribution of the programs; and
(2) The portion of subsection 28(2) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
(2) A licensee shall retain a clear and intelligible audio-visual recording of each program distributed on the community channel in each licensed area for a period of
16. (1) The portion of subsection 29(5) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
(5) Except as otherwise provided by a condition of its licence, with respect to each licensed area in which a Class 1 licensee had fewer than 20,000 subscribers on August 31 of the previous broadcast year, the Class 1 licensee shall make a contribution to Canadian programming
(2) Subparagraphs 29(5)(b)(i) and (ii) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
17. (1) The portion of paragraph 30(2)(a) of the Regulations before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:
(2) The portion of paragraph 30(2)(c) of the Regulations before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:
(3) The portion of paragraph 30(3)(a) of the Regulations before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:
18. (1) The portion of subsection 32(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
32. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or under a condition of its licence, a licensee shall distribute in each licensed area as part of its basic service
(2) Subsection 32(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) A licensee of a cable distribution undertaking shall distribute in each licensed area the programming services referred to in subsection (1) beginning with the basic band.
19. The portion of section 33 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
33. Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee may distribute in any licensed area
20. Section 33.1 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
33.1 Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee that delivers any programming service to any subscriber on a digital basis in a licensed area may distribute in the licensed area, but only on a digital basis, any Category 1 or Category 2 service.
21. Subsection 33.2(2) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(2) An independent licensee that does not deliver any programming service to any subscriber on a digital basis in a licensed area may distribute in that licensed area any Category 1 service on an analog basis.
22. (1) The portion of subsection 33.3(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (c) is replaced by the following:
33.3 (1) A licensee that has a nominal capacity of at least 550 MHz in a licensed area and that makes use of digital technology for the delivery of any programming service in the licensed area shall distribute in the licensed area
(2) Subsections 33.3(2) to (4) of the Regulations are replaced by the following:
(2) A licensee whose licensed area is totally interconnected with another licensed area shall distribute in the first-mentioned licensed area the same number of programming services in the language of the official language minority as are distributed in the licensed area with which it is interconnected, unless the licensee does not have the technological capacity to do so.
(2.1) A licensee whose licensed area is totally interconnected with another licensed area shall distribute in the first-mentioned licensed area the English- and French-language versions of the House of Commons programming service with the same distribution status as the licensed area with which it is interconnected, unless the licensee does not have the technological capacity to do so.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(a), any English-language programming service, other than a service that is required to be distributed in the licensed area pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(h) of the Act or section 17 of these Regulations, constitutes an English-language Canadian specialty service.
(4) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), any French-language programming service, other than a service that is required to be distributed in the licensed area pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(h) of the Act or section 17 of these Regulations, constitutes a French-language Canadian specialty service.
23. The portion of section 34 of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
34. Except as otherwise provided under a condition of its licence, a licensee may distribute in any licensed area
24. The heading before section 39 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
Programming Services That May Be Distributed
25. Paragraph 46(b) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(b) the successor of a licensee referred to in paragraph (a), including a successor who holds a regional licence.
26. (1) The portion of subsection 47(1) of the Regulations before paragraph (b) is replaced by the following:
47. (1) Subject to subsection (3), this Part does not apply to a licensee referred to in paragraph 46(a) or (b), with respect to a licensed area, if
(2) The portion of paragraph 47(3)(a) of the Regulations before subparagraph (i) is replaced by the following:
(3) Paragraph 47(3)(b) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
27. (1) The portion of section 50 of the Regulations before paragraph (b) is replaced by the following:
50. Subject to section 51, a licensee may increase the base portion of its basic monthly fee in respect of a licensed area if
(2) Subparagraph 50(b)(ii) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
28. (1) Subsection 52(1) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
52. (1) For the purposes of subsection (2), a licensee, in respect of a licensed area, is considered to be operating in a francophone market if more than 50% of the total population of all cities, towns and municipalities encompassed in whole or in part within the licensed area has French as its mother tongue, according to the most recent population figures published by Statistics Canada.
(2) The portion of subsection 52(2) of the Regulations before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
(2) Subject to section 54, a licensee may increase its base portion in respect of a licensed area by a maximum of
(3) Subsection 52(3) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
(3) If a licensee has increased its base portion under subsection (2) with respect to a specialty service and ceases to distribute that service as part of the basic service, the licensee shall decrease its base portion in respect of the licensed area by an amount equal to the amount of the increase.
29. Section 53 of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
53. (1) Subject to section 54, a licensee may increase its pass-through portion in respect of a licensed area if the increase does not exceed the amount of an increase that the Commission has, after September 1, 1986, authorized to be payable to the operator of a broadcasting undertaking.
(2) If a licensee has increased its pass-through portion under subsection (1) with respect to a programming service and ceases to distribute that service as part of the basic service, the licensee shall decrease its pass-through portion in respect of the licensed area by an amount equal to the amount of the increase.
(3) If a licensee has increased its pass-through portion under subsection (1) with respect to a programming service and the operator of the broadcasting undertaking charges the licensee less than the amount in the pass-through portion that reflects the amount payable to the operator of that undertaking for the service, the licensee shall decrease its pass-through portion in respect of the licensed area by an amount equal to the difference.
30. Paragraph 54(1)(a) of the Regulations is replaced by the following:
31. Schedules 1 to 3 to the Regulations are replaced by the following:
SCHEDULE 1
(Paragraph 47(1)(a))
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS
(Name of licensee) is proposing that its basic monthly fee in (name of licensed area) be deregulated, in accordance with subsection 47(1) of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations. If a licensee meets the criteria set out in that subsection, its basic monthly fee in (name of licensed area) will no longer be regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission under Part 5 of the Regulations unless the Commission intervenes to suspend or disallow the proposed deregulation.
The details of (name of licensee)'s justification for the proposed deregulation are set out in documents filed with the Commission, which are available for public inspection during normal business hours at (address of licensee) and at the offices of the CRTC, 1 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Quebec, and (address of nearest regional office).
SCHEDULE 2
(Paragraph 50(a))
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS
(Name of licensee) is proposing to increase its basic monthly fee in (name of licensed area), in accordance with section 50 of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations. That section permits a licensee to increase its basic monthly fee unless the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission intervenes to disallow all or part of the increase.
The proposed amount and effective date of the increase are given below, in items 1 and 2. The reason for the proposed increase is given in item 3.
The details of (name of licensee)'s justification for the proposed increase are set out in documents filed with the Commission, which are available for public inspection during normal business hours at (address of licensee) and at the offices of the CRTC, 1 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Quebec, and (address of nearest regional office). You may express your comments on the proposed increase by writing to:
Secretary General
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N2
before (30 days after the date of sending of this notice). A copy of your letter must be sent to (name of licensee's representative, title, address).
Item 1:
Proposed amount of increase per subscriber per month: $______.
Your current basic monthly fee is $_________.
If the CRTC does not disallow this increase, your new basic monthly fee will be $_________.
Item 2:
Effective date of the proposed increase: ____________.
Item 3:
Reason for the proposed increase.
(Provide a brief statement outlining the justification for the proposed increase and any other relevant information.)
SCHEDULE 3
(Paragraph 54(1)(a))
NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS
(Name of licensee) is proposing to increase its basic monthly fee in (name of licensed area), in accordance with section(s) (52, 53 or both) of the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations. That section permits a licensee to increase its basic monthly fee unless the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission intervenes to disallow all or part of the increase.
The proposed amount and effective date of the increase are given below, in items 1 and 2. The reason for the proposed increase is given in item 3.
The details of (name of licensee)'s justification for the proposed increase are set out in documents filed with the Commission, which are available for public inspection during normal business hours at (address of licensee) and at the offices of the CRTC, 1 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Quebec, and (address of nearest regional office). You may express your comments on the proposed increase by writing to:
Secretary General
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
Commission
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N2
before (30 days after the date of sending of this notice). A copy of your letter must be sent to (name of licensee's representative, title, address).
Item 1:
Proposed amount of increase per subscriber per month: $______.
Your current basic monthly fee is $_________.
If the CRTC does not disallow this increase, your new basic monthly fee will be $_________.
Item 2:
Effective date of the proposed increase:_________ .
Item 3:
Reason for the proposed increase.
(Provide a brief statement outlining the justification for the proposed increase and any other relevant information).
COMING INTO FORCE
32. These Regulations come into force on the day on which they are registered.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
This amendment to the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations allows for regional licensing, which permits more than one licensed area under a single licence. At the same time, the intent is to continue in effect the various regulatory obligations that must be followed by distribution undertakings in each licensed area.
The amendment also corrects subsection 18(8) and paragraph 27(1)(d) of the French version of the Regulations, and the title preceding section 39 of the Regulations.
S.C. 1991, c. 11
S.C. 1991, c. 11
SOR/97-555
NOTICE:
The format of the electronic version of this issue of the Canada Gazette was modified in order to be compatible with extensible hypertext markup language (XHTML 1.0 Strict).