Photo: Cheryl Gallant, MP appearing before the CRTC


Pembroke, Ontario… Cheryl Gallant, MP Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke today welcomed changes announced by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to the regulations governing community television. The new policy is intended to give interested individuals more opportunities to participate in their community television.

“When the A Channel moved out of Pembroke last year, our community lost more than jobs, we lost a local source of news and information,” said MP Cheryl Gallant. “I am hopeful that this new policy may compensate for some of our loss.”

Under the new policy, the CRTC will require that community members be involved in the creation of at least half of a community channel’s programming. This means that the original idea for a program must come from members of the community, who must also be involved in some aspect of the production, whether in front or behind the camera. Additionally, at least half of a channel’s programming expenditures will have to be devoted to this type of programming, as well as to community outreach initiatives and the training and development of volunteers.

“While TVCogeco provides the valley’s only source of local televised news with their community channel, when I appeared before the CRTC to present our case for local television, I made it clear that TVCogeco is no substitute for the loss to the upper Ottawa Valley of our own television station,” stated MP Gallant. “Although I welcome this announcement, I will continue to press the CRTC to direct the owners of the A Channel to honour their obligations to the people of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, or find someone who will.”

The community channel should engender a high level of citizen participation and community involvement in community programming; actively promote citizen access to the community channel and provide and promote the availability of related training programs; provide feedback mechanisms, such as advisory boards, to encourage viewer response to the range and types of programs aired; seek out innovative ideas and alternative views; provide a reasonable, balanced opportunity for the expression of differing views on matters of public concern; reflect the official languages, ethnic and Aboriginal composition of the community; provide coverage of local events; and publicize the program schedule.

The CRTC has also introduced measures to improve the accountability and transparency of the funds cable companies allocate to the operation of their community television channels. Cable companies will have to provide this information on a yearly basis starting in 2012. Given the significant changes to the policy, the CRTC has determined that the new requirements will take effect on September 1, 2014.