Calling for comments

The crtc is asking for public comments on whether Canadian direct-to-home satellite service distributors operating in Canada should be exempt from licensing. The exemption criteria proposed by the crtc are (summarized):

– The dth satellite service distributes the programming services of crtc licensed and authorized radio, television, specialty and pay-television (including pay-per-view) undertakings and distributes them locally, regionally or nationally to subscribers on a dth basis, with or without a fee, using Canadian satellite facilities.

– Programming services provided by a dth satellite service may also be distributed to subscribers through cable television, radio communications or satellite master antenna television.

– The dth distributor does not originate any programming itself.

– Only foreign programming services formally authorized by the crtc are distributed.

– There are more channels devoted to distributing Canadian programming services than foreign services.

– All technical requirements of the Department of Communications have been met.

The crtc would also like to know if an exempt dth distributor should be required to adhere to the packaging requirements established for cable television systems and if there should be any restrictions on the ownership of an exempt dth distributor. Comments should be addressed to the secretary general of the crtc in Ottawa.

Agreement extended

astral Communications and Buena Vista Home Video (Disney’s video distribution arm) have extended an existing agreement for video distribution and duplication until the end of 1996. The deal gives Astral the rights to distribute Disney videos in Canada and to distribute Disney titles in French for the rental market.