The CRTC has issued a stern warning to TVA Groupe for its plans to prematurely end weekend news broadcasts at its Quebec City station this week.
Earlier this month, TVA announced that it would be ending Saturday and Sunday news broadcasts on CFCM, its TV station in Quebec City, effective the week beginning June 19.
In a letter sent to Peggy Tabet, Quebecor Media’s VP of regulatory and environmental affairs, on Friday and signed by executive director of broadcasting Scott Shortliffe, the CRTC said it was “greatly concerned” by the announcement, as it “ignores the ongoing public process, the authority of the Commission, as well as the interest of citizens.”
In order to end its weekend news broadcasts, TVA had to make an application to the CRTC to reduce its local programming requirements. The CRTC has yet to make a decision on that application, as the process for interventions remains open until July 4 in order to give members of the public time to submit opposition or support for the plan.
Shortliffe’s letter reminded TVA that it is still expected to meet its local programming requirements, including weekend news broadcasts made in Quebec. If TVA plans to go ahead with ending the broadcasts this week, “it would most likely be found in non-compliance with its regulatory obligations” and that the CRTC may use powers under its disposal.
Under the Broadcasting Act, the CRTC has the ability to leverage fines of up to $250,000 to a corporation deemed to be operating outside of accordance of a broadcasting license for each day that the offense continues. Corporations that defy a regulatory order – which has not yet been issued in this case – can be fined up to $250,000 for a first offence and up to $500,000 for each subsequent offence.
As of Monday morning, the local news broadcast still appears on CFCM’s schedule for the upcoming weekend.
CUPE, the union that represents TVA Groupe workers, also made a CRTC application to prohibit TVA from ending its weekend newscasts after the company made its announcement. In a separate letter on Friday, Shortliffe said that “out of concern for procedural fairness and transparency for all parties,” that the application would have a 30 day period for TVA to intervene, followed by a period of 10 days for CUPE to reply.
