GATINEAU — The CRTC will hold a non-appearing public hearing in April regarding kids channel ToonAvision’s application to be licensed as a discretionary service.
Having exceeded a threshold of 210,000 subscribers for three consecutive months, the company noted in its application, the currently exempt programming service is seeking a licence to operate as a discretionary channel. ToonAvision is owned by Atlantic Digital Networks and broadcasts out of Dartmouth, N.S. The animation channel launched in June 2018 and is widely distributed on Eastlink and Bell.
Specialty services are exempt from CRTC licencing until they hit 200,000 subscribers.
As part of its licence application, ToonAvision has proposed a Canadian programming expenditures (CPE) level of 10% as a condition of licence. In addition, it has requested it be allowed to continue to devote not less than 25% of its total programming broadcast during the broadcast year and the evening broadcast period to Canadian programs until June 30, 2020. As of July 1, as it enters its third year of operation, ToonAvision will be required to meet the standard 35% Canadian exhibition requirement.
The public hearing will take place April 14, 2020 in Gatineau. The deadline for interventions is March 11. More information about the hearing can be found in the CRTC’s notice of consultation.
