The CRTC has renewed the licence of CTV station CFCF-TV Montreal until Aug. 31, 2008. In its decision, the commission finds CTV must assume responsibility for unpaid tangible benefits of $800,000, committed by WIC Television when it purchased a controlling interest in CFCF in 1997. CanWest Global Communications acquired the station and related assets in October 1999. CTV took formal control in the fall of 2001.

The $800,000 benefit ruling is in addition to previously accepted tangible benefit packages, including $14.15 million. The commission earlier set out licence renewal conditions for all CTV stations in August 2001.

The expanded conditions of licence for CFCF include an obligation to broadcast an average of two hours per week of described Canadian drama and long-form documentaries, with a requirement 50% of the hours are original broadcasts, and up to one hour per week may be described children’s programming.

The CRTC’s policy with respect to the fulfilment of benefits commitments made by an undertaking’s previous owner is set out in the Television Policy, as follows: ‘The Commission considers benefit commitments to be part of a licensee’s obligations and, as such, they should be implemented regardless of any subsequent ownership change. The Commission will therefore continue to expect the purchaser of an undertaking to fulfil any of the vendor’s outstanding benefit commitments.’

CTV is in the process of making a capital (non-benefit) investment of approximately $17 million to relocate, refit and digitize CFCF.

-www.crtc.gc.ca