Montreal: The crtc has announced its intention to issue a call for licence applications to operate a national French-language arts specialty channel (ref: PN-99’187) on Feb. 1, 2000. The call for applications will be accompanied by selection criteria, deadline for submitting applications and distribution options. A public hearing will be held next summer, presumably followed by a prompt decision. The timetable appears to indicate a new French-language arts channel could go to air by January of 2001.

The crtc says applicants should consider the existing arts and cultural programming offer in the French broadcasting sector and the licensing of four new specialty channels in history, drama, technology and travel tourism. The new channels go to air Jan. 10, 2000. Management at cbc and Radio-Canada responded positively to the crtc decision. by Leo Rice-Barker