Watchdog says CRTC letter holds a warning to MCTV by Brian Kelly
Source : The Sault Star
Nov 08, 2001
by Brian Kelly
Skeptics may scoff at what they perceive to be the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's weak-kneed response to CTV's decision to cut jobs and service in Northern Ontario.
But CRTC secretary general Ursula Menke's two-page letter "speaks in code" about its disappointment with the private broadcaster's plan to cut 40 jobs in Northern Ontario, says the spokesperson for a national broadcasting watchdog.
CTV said in October it would cut 11 jobs in Sault Ste. Marie and introduce a new regional news program based in Sudbury later this month.
"(This letter) is going to push CTV to do the right thing," said Ian Morrison of Friends of Canadian Broadcasting in a telephone interview from Ottawa on Wednesday afternoon.
"CTV has to be careful about losing the CRTC's confidence.
"If they start to misbehave, then things happen like they get shorter licence renewals or onerous conditions."
Morrison highlighted the conclusion of Menke's correspondence to Trina McQueen, president and chief operating officer of CTV as being particularly insightful of the federal broadcast regulator's current mood.
Menke said the CRTC expects CTV to fulfill the spirit, as well as the letter, of its commitments to provide local programming to the public in the communities it serves."
"That last paragraph is leaning on them," said Morrison.
"It's a lot more helpful to those of us who care about maintaining local programming than it might appear to someone who is not used to the way the CRTC expresses itself."
Morrison suggests the private broadcaster should be given some time to reconsider its actions, but if that doesn't happen additional pressure must be placed on the network.
Morrison may be in Sault Ste. Marie next week if there is a public meeting on the issue and to work alongside other interested groups wanting to see a return to local news coverage in this city, North Bay and Timmins.
"This has our full attention," he said. The FCB represents more than 50,000 families across the country who are committed to expanding the quality and quantity of Canadian radio and television programming. Approximately 1,100 members, including 130 in the Sault, live in Northern Ontario.
