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| APTN encourages the public to comment on network license renewal |
| Posted
on Monday, April 11, 2005 - 12:00 AM |
The CRTC gazetted APTN's application for licence renewal earlier this week along with several other networks.
"It's hard to believe that APTN is already almost six years old," says Jean LaRose, Chief Executive Officer of APTN. "APTN has proved that there is an audience that is continuously growing and our programming is gaining popularity and respect in Canada. Our audience is greater in the Aboriginal community but quickly increasing in mainstream Canada, as the Nielsen and BBM numbers have shown over this brief period.
The APTN license application requests that the licence be renewed for a full seven-year term subject to the same terms and conditions as currently applied (for info on current license, visit the CRTC website: www.crtc.gc.ca ), with the following important additions to enable continued growth and development of Aboriginal programming to share with all Canadians:
* an increase in the minimum level of Canadianprogramming, from 70% to 75%, by the end of the licence term;
* an increase in Aboriginal language programmingfrom 30 to 35 hours per week, by the end of the licence term;
* an increase in French language programming from 18to 20 hours per week, by the end of the licence term;
* a nominal increase to the distributors for thecarriage of APTN as part of the basic service by $0.10 per subscriber permonth, to allow APTN to increase the quality and quantity of Canadianprograms on the network;
* a commitment to be fully high definition (HDTV)capable by the end of the license term;
* a split feed of its southern signal into twodistinct eastern and western regions to allow the regional audiences theopportunity to watch programming in their relevant time zone. A commitment from cable companies, fixed wireless and telco-delivered tv services to distribute either the Eastern or the Western feed, depending on their location, and that DTH satellite companies will carry both feeds; and,
* the changes in Board Governance composition asapproved in fall 2004 to ensure a more complete reflection of all regionsof Canada.
APTN is encouraging the public to submit their support and comments to the
CRTC in support of its license renewal. For information on how to ensure
your comments are properly submitted for this process, please visit the APTN
website at: http://aptn.ca:8080/corporate/index.html or the CRTC website at:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Hearings/2005/n2005-4.htm#8 Please note
the deadline for submission of comments is May 12, 2005. As part of the
formal regulatory process the CRTC will hold a public hearing commencing on
6 June 2005 at 9:30 a.m., at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 6700 Fallsview
Boulevard, Niagara Falls, Ontario, to consider APTN's licence renewal.
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