As part of its advocacy work, FRIENDS of Canadian Broadcasting frequently makes submissions and presentations to the CRTC, Parliamentary Committees, and other bodies.
Oct 27, 2011 — Policy Brief: Presentation to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics House of Commons
FRIENDS tells a Parliamentary committee looking into CBC's access to information policies that the root cause of the public broadcaster's disclosure avoidance is patronage appointments of its Board and President.
Jul 21, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: Application 2011-0966-1 amendment: a transmitter to serve Saint John
FRIENDS asks the CRTC for clarification on the closing date for comments on the CBC application for a Saint John transmitter.
Jul 17, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: Application 2011-0966-1 amendment: a transmitter to serve Saint John
Submission to the CRTC on CBC's proposal for a digital transmitter to serve Saint John New Brunswick.
Apr 27, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: CRTC Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-783 Vertical Integration Regulatory Framework
Considering that all large broadcasters in Canada - except the CBC - are now controlled by distributors, FRIENDS recommends that the CRTC protect the interests of small independent players.
Apr 27, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: Final Submission: Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-952
Final submission to the CRTC on the group-based licence renewals for English-language television groups.
Apr 11, 2011 — Policy Brief: Group-based Licence Renewals for English-language Television groups
In a presentation to the CRTC, FRIENDS says that proposed changes to station group licences would result in a reduction of approximately $90 million annually in Canadian programming spending.
Mar 21, 2011 — Policy Brief: Mandate and Funding of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
In a presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, FRIENDS says that implementing the Committee's recommendation of increasing the CBC's parliamentary grant to at least $40 per capita would be a good first step in addressing the funding gap for Canada's public broadcaster.
Feb 9, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2011-14
In a submission to the CRTC, FRIENDS comments on proposed regulation changes for "false or misleading" news coverage.
Feb 9, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-952: Group-based licence renewals for English-language television groups
In a submission to the CRTC, FRIENDS says that proposed changes to station group licences would result in a reduction of approximately $90 million annually in Canadian programming spending.
Jan 11, 2011 — Policy Brief: Re: BN CRTC 2010-926: Application 2010-1506-6 Change of Effective Control of CTVgm’s Broadcasting Entities to BCE
FRIENDS supports the proposed change of effective control of CTVglobemedia's broadcasting assets to BCE, subject that the CRTC require BCE to revise the content of its public benefits proposal.
Oct 24, 2010 — Policy Brief: Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010715
In a submission to the CRTC, FRIENDS supports the application by Bluepoint Investments to acquire the assets and control of Saskatchewan Communications Network Corporation (SCN).
Sep 30, 2010 — Policy Brief: Re: CRTC Broadcast Notice of Consultation 2010-623
FRIENDS supports a proposal that would see 0.5% of cable gross revenues directed towards the creation of a Community Access Media Fund to which independent non-profit community-run access channels could apply for support.
Sep 30, 2010 — Policy Brief: Re: CRTC Broadcast Notice of Consultation 2010-649: Application 2010-1188-2 [TVA Group Inc. on behalf of a general partnership to be constituted or a corporation to be incorporated]
FRIENDS opposes a request that would see Québecor's Sun TV receive mandatory access in its first three years of operation and offers several observations and suggestions for consideration by the CRTC.
Sep 28, 2010 — Policy Brief: Re: Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-629 — Criteria for assessing applications for mandatory distribution on the digital basic service
In a letter to the CRTC, FRIENDS says a proposed two-year moratorium on the consideration of any Category 1 broadcast applications would be highly prejudicial to the smaller, independent members of the broadcasting system.
Sep 7, 2010 — Policy Brief: Re: CRTC Broadcast Notice of Consultation 2010-551: Application #2009-1674-4
FRIENDS comments on an application by Corus for a broadcasting licence to operate a regional specialty television channel.
Aug 23, 2010 — Policy Brief: Re: Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2010-498: Shaw Communications acquisition of CanWest Global's Broadcasting entities
As part of Shaw's application to take over CanWest's broadcasting assets, FRIENDS recommends the CRTC ensure commitment to local programming and adequate public benefit consistent with commission policies.
Aug 13, 2010 — Policy Brief: Re: Pre-Budget Consultation Submission
FRIENDS says The Standing Committee on Finance should adopt the 2008 recommendation of the Canadian Heritage Committee to increase the CBC's per‐capita grant to $40 per annum.
Jul 30, 2010 — Policy Brief: Opening Canada’s Doors to Foreign Investment in Telecommunications: Options for Reform
In a submission to Industry Canada, FRIENDS says that in an integrated communications environment, changing the foreign ownership requirement for one sector - telecom - can be expected to cause a domino effect in the other sectors - such as broadcasting.
Jul 13, 2010 — Policy Brief: Digital Economy Consultation
FRIENDS recommends that the Canadian Media Fund, and other federally-sponsored funds, be augmented by tapping into the huge profits of the four big cable monopolies, whose profit before interest and taxes in 2009 exceeded 25%.
Mar 30, 2010 — Policy Brief: Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science & Technology
FRIENDS tells parliamentarians that tinkering with foreign ownership rules in one part of the media and communications industry will place other parts, such as broadcasting, at risk.
