OTTAWA -- Canada's broadcast regulator is forcing English-language TV stations to air at least seven hours a week of local news, and establishing a new fund to help the smaller ones pay for it.
Under a new regulatory framework, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission says large broadcasters will also be given more flexibility --but not more money -- to keep local stations open.
The policy announced today requires that English-language stations broadcast at least seven hours of what's called locally relevant programming each week in non-metropolitan markets, and 14 hours per week in metropolitan markets, including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
French-language stations will be required to broadcast five hours of local programming weekly, but that could be increased based on individual community needs.
To help stations struggling to generate advertising revenue, the CRTC says larger stations can redistribute available resources, allowing them to spend up to $67 million more on local news content.
As well, a new independent local news fund is being set up to give independent stations access to roughly $23 million for local news programming.
The fund will be earmarked for TV stations in 18 communities across the country.
