Source : National Post

Existing service lodges objection

OTTAWA - The federal broadcast regulator has denied a Chinese-Canadian businessman's application for a licence to launch a second specialty television service for immigrant Chinese viewers, saying the proposed network would likely compete with and harm an existing specialty channel.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission rejected the application for a broadcast licence by businessman Howard Ling, who last year sought permission to launch the China Essence Television Network (CETN).

Mr. Ling proposed to offer a new pay-TV service devoted to Mandarin-language programming that would target "Canadians who have recently immigrated from, or have roots or other ties to, the People's Republic of China."

Privately held Fairchild Television Ltd. filed documents with the CRTC opposing Mr. Ling's bid, saying his China Essence Television Network would compete directly with its own specialty-TV channel called Talentvision.

Fairchild, whose stations serve the fast-growing Chinese communities in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, argued that Mr. Ling's proposed service would compete head on with Talentvision "in terms of target audience, programming content, advertising revenue and distribution." Mr. Ling's venture would taking direct aim at Talentvision's Mandarin audience, it added.

Fairchild's service provides programming for all segments of Canada's Chinese population, with broadcasts in both Cantonese and Mandarin.

Available through Canadian cable companies, it offers local and imported programs to viewers, including satellite news, dramas, music and entertainment.

During a public hearing in November, Mr. Ling denied Fairchild's claims, saying his venture aimed to serve Mandarin-only audiences with national and international content that would be different than what the rival broadcaster was offering.

Mr. Ling added that because of the growing volume of quality TV programming being produced by China, both networks could offer a larger variety of quality shows and complement each other instead of competing for viewers.

"It is perfectly normal for people speaking the same language with different accents and cultural backgrounds to choose different television programs to watch if such choices are available to them," he told the CRTC panel.

The CRTC commissioners disagreed, ruling Mr. Ling's proposed TV service targets "a very broad audience" that includes people served by Fairchild's Talentvision.

This would put his proposed China Essence Television Network in direct competition with Fairchild's service "which could have a significant negative impact on Talentvision," the CRTC said in a written decision in which it rejected Mr. Ling's application.

© National Post