OTTAWA–GATINEAU – In an effort to further “empower” Canadian TV viewers, the CRTC unveiled a new draft code to help viewers resolve disputes with their television service providers, and directed broadcasters to ensure that Canadians with disabilities have greater access to content adapted to their needs.
Thursday’s announcements are the fifth and final decision stemming from the Commission’s TV Policy Review, known as Let's Talk TV.
Under the proposed code of conduct, TV service providers would be required to provide easy-to-understand agreements to their customers, notify them of changes to their services, and clarify the terms surrounding issues such as the addition or cancellation of channels, early service cancellation fees, and installation appointments.
Noting that Canadians are increasingly obtaining their various communications services from the same company, the Commission also proposed that complaints related to the code be directed to the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS), the industry ombudsman who already administers the CRTC’s wireless code and fields consumer complaints over their wireless, Internet and telephone services. The CCTS issued a statement saying they'd be happy to take on the role.
The Commission has asked Canadians to weigh in on the new code before May 25, 2015, and promised to host an online discussion forum on the proposed new code. Details of the discussion forum will be announced shortly.
“The future of Canada’s television system rests on two foundations: a retail code for viewers and a wholesale code for broadcasters and television service providers”, said CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais, in a statement. “Today’s decision is about empowering Canadians to make informed choices about their television service providers and help them resolve disputes in a fair and effective manner. We are calling on Canadians to shape their relationships with their television service providers. Now is their chance to tell us.”
Stressing that Canadians with disabilities should have greater access to accessibility features when consuming content of their choice, the CRTC also directed broadcasters to ensure that closed captioned programs made available online and on mobile devices include that captioning. Broadcasters must also increase the amount of programs that they offer with described video, so that all programming that airs during the prime time hours of 7:00 – 11:00 PM will air with described video by September 2019.
Lastly, the Commission said that television service providers must offer accessible hardware, such as set-top boxes and remote controls, where they can be obtained from suppliers and are compatible with their networks, to subscribers by the end of this year.
“Canada’s television system now has a forward-looking and flexible framework that will enable it to adapt within a rapidly changing environment”, Blais added. “With the measures we have announced recently, Canadians will have access to compelling television content, the freedom to choose the content that meets their needs and tools to navigate a dynamic marketplace. They are now in the driver’s seat.”
