GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today in an information bulletin it is adopting a new standardized approach to monitoring linear community channels and on-demand community programming services, which will serve as general guidance going forward and will come into effect on September 1, 2021.
In July 2020, the Commission launched a proceeding to gather input on its proposed standardized approaches to monitoring community programming. The Commission received 10 interventions from Bell, Rogers, Cogeco, SaskTel, Telus, Csur la tele, the Community Media Advocacy Centre (CMAC), the Canadian Association of Community Television Users and Stations (CACTUS), the Conseil provincial du secteur des communications du Syndicat canadien de la function publique (CPSC-SCFP), and an individual.
After considering the intervenors’ comments, the Commission has made some revisions to the text of the approach outlined in the proposed broadcasting information bulletin contained in its July 2020 notice of consultation.
The Commission’s standardized approach for monitoring linear community channels and on-demand community programming services (as set out in the appendix to today’s information bulletin) states the following:
Calculating the percentage of local and access programming for on-demand community programming services
- In order for the Commission to consider only the programs produced in or relevant to a particular service area when assessing compliance regarding the operation of their on-demand community programming services, BDUs should adopt at least one of the following practices:
- make it possible for the BDU subscriber to select community programs by location from the menu; and/or
- identify the location in or next to the program tile presented to subscribers on the on-demand platform.
- In instances where a BDU has made no effort to adopt at least one of these practices, the Commission will generally consider the entire library of community programming titles available on the on-demand server for the purpose of assessing compliance with exhibition requirements.
- In addition, BDUs are encouraged to adopt the following practices, which would also improve the discoverability of local and access community programming for viewers:
- make it possible to find the program produced in each location using the search option (i.e., by keyword); and
- give pride of place to local programs when viewed in the location where they were produced.
Program grids for community channels and on-demand community programming services
- When a BDU operating a community channel or an on-demand community programming service is selected by the Commission to participate in its monitoring exercise, it is to submit the calculations of the total amount of time devoted to each program category (as defined in the appendix) and the percentage of the overall total (as well as other general and program information as outlined in the appendix).
Broadcast information to be submitted by linear community channels only
- the broadcast date;
- the start and end times for the program;
- original or repeat programming (one of the following to be selected):
- original exhibition of a program that has been distributed by another licensed or exempt BDU; or
- original, first-run program (original exhibition of a program that has not been distributed by another licensed or exempt BDU); or
- repeat exhibition of a program.
Broadcast information to be submitted by on-demand community programming services only
- the year of production of the program;
- whether the program is an original first-run program (i.e., not previously broadcast on another community channel or programming service); and
- the period of time the program was offered.
