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CRTC Undertakes Review Of Local Programming Improvement Fund

CRTC [1]The CRTC [1] has announced that it will be holding a public consultation to review the Local Programming Improvement Fund [2], and is inviting Canadians to submit comments. The fund was created to support the development of local television programming, particularly local news, in non-metropolitan markets.

Spending on local programming had stagnated and even declined due to, among other things, the fragmentation of television audiences and the decline in advertising revenues.  This risked harming both the quality and the quantity of local programs.

Since 2009, cable and satellite companies have been contributing 1.5% of their gross broadcasting revenues to the fund. As a result, by the end of 2012, it will have distributed more than $300 million to more than 75 local stations throughout the country. To be eligible, stations must broadcast local programming that includes news.

The Commission had announced its intention to review the fund in its third year of operation. This review will provide for determining whether the fund should be maintained, modified or cancelled. The Commission is seeking comments on the following topics:

Anyone interested may submit comments by February 15, 2012 by:

A public hearing will begin on April 16, 2012 in Gatineau.  If you would like to appear before the CRTC, you must indicate your interest in doing so in your written comments. It will also be possible to participate in the hearing from the Commission’s regional offices, via teleconferencing. For more information on how to participate, please see the notice of consultation [4].

Reference Documents:

Local Program Improvement Fund
Revised List of Eligible Television Stations
Broadcast Year 2010-2011
Licensee Call  Sign  Location Province
0859291 B.C. Ltd. CHEK-TV Victoria British Columbia
2190015 Ontario Inc (Channel Zero) CHCH-TV Hamilton Ontario
591987 B.C. Ltd. (Corus) CHEX-TV Peterborough Ontario
591987 B.C. Ltd. (Corus) CKWS-TV Kingston Ontario
591987 B.C. Ltd. (Corus) CHEX-TV-2 Oshawa Ontario
Astral Media Radio G.P. CFTK-TV Terrace British Columbia
Astral Media Radio G.P. CJDC-TV Dawson Creek British Columbia
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBAFT Moncton New Brunswick
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBAT Fredericton New Brunswick
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBCT Charlottetown Prince Edward Island
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBET Windsor Ontario
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBHT Halifax Nova Scotia
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBKFT Regina Saskatchewan
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBKT Regina Saskatchewan
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBLFT Toronto Ontario
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBOFT Ottawa Ontario
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBNT St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBUFT Vancouver British Columbia
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBVT Québec Quebec
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBWFT Winnipeg Manitoba
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBWT Winnipeg Manitoba
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBXFT Edmonton Alberta
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CFYK-TV Yellowknife Northwest Territories
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CJRB-TV Rimouski Quebec
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CKSH-TV Sherbrooke Quebec
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CKTM-TV Trois-Rivières Quebec
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CKTV-TV Jonquiere Quebec
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CFRE-TV Regina Saskatchewan
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CFSK-TV Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CHBC-TV Kelowna British Columbia
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CIHF-TV Halifax Nova Scotia
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CIHF-TV-2 Saint John New Brunswick
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CISA-TV Lethbridge Alberta
Canwest Television Limited Partnership CKND-TV Winnipeg Manitoba
CHAU-TV Communications ltée CHAU-TV Carleton-sur-Mer Quebec
CKRT-TV ltée CKRT-TV Rivière-du-Loup Quebec
CTV Limited CFPL-TV London Ontario
CTV Limited CHWI-TV Wheatley Ontario
CTV Limited CIVI-TV Victoria British Columbia
CTV Limited CKVR-TV Barrie Ontario
CTV Television Inc. CFCN-TV-5 Lethbridge Alberta
CTV Television Inc. CFQC-TV Saskatoon Saskatchewan
CTV Television Inc. CHBX-TV Sault Ste. Marie Ontario
CTV Television Inc. CICI-TV Sudbury Ontario
CTV Television Inc. CITO-TV Timmins Ontario
CTV Television Inc. CKNY-TV North Bay Ontario
CTV Television Inc. CICC-TV Yorkton Saskatchewan
CTV Television Inc. CIPA-TV Prince Albert Saskatchewan
CTV Television Inc. CJCB-TV Sydney Nova Scotia
CTV Television Inc. CJCH-TV Halifax Nova Scotia
CTV Television Inc. CKCW-TV Moncton New Brunswick
CTV Television Inc. CKLT-TV Saint John New Brunswick
CTV Television Inc. CKCK-TV Regina Saskatchewan
CTV Television Inc. CKCO-TV Kitchener Ontario
CTV Television Inc. CKY-TV Winnipeg Manitoba
TVA Group Inc. CFCM-TV Québec Quebec
TVA Group Inc. CFER-TV Rimouski Quebec
TVA Group Inc. CHEM-TV Trois-Rivières Quebec
TVA Group Inc. CHLT-TV Sherbrooke Quebec
TVA Group Inc. CJPM-TV Chicoutimi Quebec
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership CFJC-TV Kamloops British Columbia
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership CHAT-TV Medicine Hat Alberta
Jim Pattison Broadcast Group Limited Partnership CKPG-TV Prince George British Columbia
Newcap Inc. CITL-TV Lloydminister Alberta
Newcap Inc. CKSA-TV Lloydminister Alberta
Newfoundland Broadcasting Company Limited CJON-TV St. John’s Newfoundland and Labrador
RNC MEDIA Inc. CFEM-TV Rouyn-Noranda Quebec
RNC MEDIA Inc. CFGS-TV Gatineau Quebec
RNC MEDIA Inc. CFVS-TV Val D’Or Quebec
RNC MEDIA Inc. CHOT-TV Gatineau Quebec
RNC MEDIA Inc. CKRN-TV Rouyn Quebec
Rogers Broadcasting Limited CHMI-TV Portage La Prairie Manitoba
Télé Inter-Rives ltée CIMT-TV Rivière-du-Loup Quebec
Télévision MBS inc. CFTF-TV Rivière-du-Loup Quebec
Thunder Bay Electronics Limited CHFD-TV Thunder Bay Ontario
Thunder Bay Electronics Limited CKPR-TV Thunder Bay Ontario
V Interactions inc. CFAP-TV Québec Quebec
V Interactions inc. CFKM-TV Trois-Rivières Quebec
V Interactions inc. CFKS-TV Sherbrooke Quebec
V Interactions inc. CFRS-TV Saguenay Quebec