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On January 21, 2008, the CRTC confirmed that the French digital channel Avis de Recherche (ADR), which is devoted to crime prevention, had to be carried on digital basic by all Class 1 and Class 2 cable and satellite providers in Quebec at a monthly rate of 6 cents per subscriber (Cartt, 01/21/2008).
Avis de Recherche is described as having a " 'scope to assist law enforcement agencies across the country to obtain clues, tips and leads that might help resolve matters of interest to the communities they serve, both on the local and national levels' " (Tech Media Reports, 01/22/2008).
Forty-three percent of the gross revenues derived from the operation of Avis during the previous broadcast year must be spent on Canadian programs, rather than the 20% previously indicated (Cartt, 01/21/2008).
In July 2007, the CRTC deemed Avis a service of exceptional importance under section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act and therefore required mandatory carriage in digital basic package in Quebec. While Quebecor Media appealed the ruling, questioning why carriers should pay for this channel and if the CRTC can authorize mandatory carriage in digital, the commission reaffirmed its decision in January (Cartt, 01/21/2008).
More than a dozen channels have sought mandatory designation from the CRTC in the past year, with the most recent being the Canadian Olympic Committee for its proposed Canadian Amateur Sports Network. YTV, VisionTV, the Weather Network, and M"t"oM"dia were all turned down by the commission for this status, however. The Accessible Channel, which is aimed at disabled audiences, and Avis are two of the few that won approval (Globe & Mail, 01/31/2008).
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