OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Saying it is adapting to the current communications environment, the CRTC has realigned its organizational structure, the federal broadcast and telecom regulator announced today.
This realignment will allow the CRTC to respond more effectively to the convergence that has taken place between different technologies, as well as between the broadcasting and telecommunications industries, according to a memo circulated today.
Effective July 21, 2008, activities that are common to both broadcasting and telecommunications will be grouped in the Policy Development and Research sector. This includes social policy and dispute resolution. The functions of accessibility currently within the Telecommunications sector will move to the new social policy group, along with the social policy functions from the Broadcasting sector. Telemarketing will also be transferred to the Policy Development and Research sector.
In addition, this sector will continue to support the Broadcasting and Telecommunications sectors by conducting economic analysis on communications industries, markets and technologies, as well as by processing ownership and acquisitions applications.
The Secretary General and Corporate Services sector will be responsible for all central activities that support the operation of the CRTC. Consequently, the activities relating to external liaison, streamlined applications, and the revision and posting of public notices and notices of public hearing will be reassigned to the Broadcasting Sector.
Strategic Communications will take on the responsibility for corporate planning and newspaper advertisements.
These changes are being introduced further to a strategic review, known as the CRTC’s Future Direction, which was conducted over a period of several months. The Commission will evaluate its organizational structure on an ongoing basis, and further refinements may be necessary as the communications environment continues to evolve.
The changes will cause some adjustments in work titles for many at the CRTC (those changes have not yet been announced), but is not expected to affect the Commission’s head count.
