Last month, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) granted TVO a seven year broadcasting license renewal.
I’m pleased to share that in the decision, the Commission recognized the valuable and essential role that TVO plays: “TVO provides a valuable public service as the educational broadcaster for the province of Ontario and a strong independent voice in a highly concentrated media landscape and reflects Ontario’s diversity of cultures and viewpoints. Some of its programming is tied to the Ontario school curriculum and focuses on educational content for early learners and young children. This programming, as well as its long-form documentaries and in-depth current affairs programming, fulfills an essential role in the broadcasting system for the benefit of all Canadians.”
They also highlighted that “The Commission considers that TVO’s focus on children’s and public interest programming makes TVO unique.”
At the same time, under the new distribution rules, the CRTC acknowledged TVO’s unique role by including us (and other provincial education networks) in the new “skinny basic” service, which will maximize the availability of TVO to the people of Ontario.