OTTAWA – The CBC’s oft-postponed licence renewal hearing will begin November 19, the CRTC confirmed Friday.
In a letter to CBC president and CEO Hubert Lacroix, the Commission directed the Corp. to file updates to its renewal applications by July 16, 2012.
“In recognition of your desire for a timely ruling on the amendments the Commission is scheduling the public hearing to consider the renewals as soon as its agenda permits”, reads the letter, signed by secretary general John Traversy. “The hearing will commence on November 19, 2012.”
CBC/Radio-Canada’s licences were last renewed 12 years ago. Since then, the licence hearing has been pushed back twice – once last summer and again in February. The license renewal will cover CBC/Radio-Canada's radio and television network licences (English and French television networks, Radio One and Radio Two, Premiere Chaine and Espace Musique) and specialty programming licences for bold, CBCNN, RDI, ARTV and documentary. CBC/Radio-Canada’s request to introduce advertising and sponsorship to CBC Radio 2 and Espace musique will be considered at the same time.
All interventions filed last year by Canadians in support of this renewal file will continue to form part of the record and will be considered at the hearing. The CRTC will announce a new deadline for Canadians to participate shortly.
“Over the last year and a half, we have been successfully rolling out our five-year plan, Everyone, Every way and we now have the opportunity to see that our conditions of license enable the continued transformation of the public broadcaster” said Lacroix in a statement.
“Last month, following the Federal Budget, we announced a comprehensive plan to deal with our financial situation. To continue delivering on our five-year strategy in that context, we need a flexible regulatory framework that will support us as we move to become more distinctly Canadian, more regional and more digital.”
