Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. filed two broadcasting licence applications with the CRTC Wednesday to reduce the Canadian content requirements for its CityTV and Omni stations. In accordance with CRTC broadcasting regulatory policy 2010-167, issued in March, Rogers asked that Canadian content make up 55 per cent of total broadcasting hours for all Omni and CityTV stations. Under the current policy, 50 per cent of prime time scheduling and 60 per cent of the broadcast day must be Canadian content for the Omni channels. The CityTV stations have a broadcasting requirement of 60 per cent Canadian content for the broadcast year. "Rogers states that approval of the proposed amendment will not impact the level of Canadian content broadcast during peak viewing hours," the company said in its application. Rogers has asked that both amendments take effect by Sept. 1, 2010.
Source: The Wire Report, 07/14/2010