Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage

HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6

Comité permanent du patrimoine canadien

For immediate release

Ottawa, April 02, 2009 -

COMMITTEE MANDATE

On March 11, 2009, the Committee agreed:

That, in light of the economic downturn, this Committee conduct a study at its earliest convenience on the future of television in Canada and the impact of the economic crisis on the industry in our local communities, beginning with calling to appear on March 25, 2009 from the Canada Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission: Konrad von Finckenstein, Chairman, Michel Arpin, Vice-Chairman of Broadcasting, and Peter Foster, Director General of Television Policy and Applications, to provide a briefing examining impacts on

1. broadcast in terms of the following key issues that are emerging:

1. the upcoming transition to digital programming;
2. the financial pressures on local and Canadian programming;
3. the need to maintain diversity of voices in media markets across Canada;
4. the effectiveness of cultural development funds on ensuring Canadian voices are able to compete in a challenged television landscape; and

2. the upcoming public hearing on License Renewals for Private Conventional Television Stations listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-113 in light of the recent economic crisis and technological innovations; and

that the Committee report the findings of this study to the House.

SUGGESTED STUDY THEMES

FUNDING

1. What are the financial and other pressures on local broadcasting?
2. How is the decrease in advertising affecting local broadcasting?
3. To what extent are New Media, changing viewing habits, audience fragmentation, and convergence affecting local broadcasting?
4. What additional revenue streams are available for local broadcasting?

FEE-FOR-CARRIAGE

5. Would fee-for-carriage for over-the-air television signals help local broadcasting?

TRANSITION TO DIGITAL PROGRAMMING

6. What are the costs to local broadcasters associated with the transition to digital programming?

7. Should the federal government assist local broadcasters in meeting the costs of digital transition, and if so, how?

ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

8. How could the federal government address the situation of local broadcasting?

9. How could cultural development funds ensure the survival of local broadcasting?

10. Will the Canada Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s Local Programming Improvement Fund meet the needs of local broadcasting?

11. Would changes to the regulatory system be effective in meeting the meet the needs of local broadcasting?

IMPACT OF LOCAL BROADCASTING

12. What impact does the loss of local broadcasting have on the diversity of voices?