Share your opinion about local and community television!

Share your opinion about local and community television!

CRTC launching online discussion forum on this subject

OTTAWA et GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 12, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is inviting Canadians to express their views on local and community programming. From today until February 3, 2016, Canadians will be able to share their opinions on an online discussion forum.

Last September, the CRTC launched a review of local and community programming. Having analyzed the initial feedback, the CRTC is now publishing a working document intended to propose possible approaches and generate discussion.

The CRTC would like to discuss what role local and community programming plays in the lives of Canadians. The discussion forum will serve as a platform to answer questions such as the following:


-- Do you consider that local events in your area are sufficiently covered
on television, in terms of quantity and quality? If not, give us ideas
of what could be done to improve such coverage.
-- What information sources, other than local TV, do you consult to stay
informed of local events and why?
-- What type of programming available on the community channel is of
interest to you and why?
-- What could be done to improve your community channel? For example,
should community channels operating in smaller markets broadcast
professional local news to ensure that they cater to the diverse needs
of their communities?
During the Let's Talk TV proceeding, the CRTC identified several challenges faced by local and community television in this digital age where both content and viewers are increasingly moving towards online services. Moreover, a survey conducted as part of that proceeding revealed that 81% of Canadians believe that local news is important. In this light, the CRTC wishes to discuss future approaches for ensuring access to local information and community access programming on multiple platforms.

The online discussion forum will be held from January 12 to February 3, 2016, the last day of the CRTC's public hearing on local and community programming.

Quick facts


-- The CRTC has published a working document intended to propose potential
approaches and generate discussion. The CRTC does not give priority to
one approach over another.
-- The CRTC wishes to ensure that Canadians have access to local news and
community access programming that meets their needs.
-- The CRTC is interested in hearing other proposals to ensure that a
sufficient amount of high-quality local information is made available to
Canadians.
-- The CRTC will hold a public hearing in the National Capital Region from
January 25 to February 3, 2016, in order to discuss the issues
surrounding local and community television.
-- Average weekly viewing hours for Canadian news and actualities broadcast
by Canadian television services is over 23% of total hours viewed in the
English market and over 18% in the French market.
-- The percentage of Canadian households subscribing to cable, satellite or
Internet Protocol television (IPTV) services was 82%, or 11.6 million
households, in 2014.
-- In 2013-2014, over 150 million dollars was spent on the community
channels.
Quote
"Following the Let's Talk TV conversation, we sparked a discussion about the future of local and community television. This programming is important for the system as a whole, but even more so for Canadians as citizens who want to be able to access locally relevant information.

To ensure that all Canadians be well-informed, fully-engaged members of their communities, we must make sure not only that local and community television is viable, but also that it adapts to the digital age in which we are living and where we are bombarded with both information and content.

Please join us on the discussion forum and share your views to help us revitalize local and community programming."

- Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman and CEO, CRTC

Related links


-- Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2015-421 - A review of the
policy framework for local and community television programming
-- Working document for discussion - 2015-421-3
-- Online discussion forum
-- Local and Community TV Home Page
-- Let's Talk TV: decisions we've issued


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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

CONTACT: Contact : Media Relations, 819-997-9403; General information : 819-997-0313, Toll-free number: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), TTY line: 819-994-0423

Web Site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca


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