Rogers has an application to renew its broadcast licences in front of the CRTC this April. Broadcast Application 2014-26

In light of last May’s lay offs at OMNI we are are alarmed to see Rogers has no plans to restore programming and even indicates they might reduce ethnic programming even further if they are not granted major concessions by the CRTC

At City in Vancouver, Rogers plans to continue a minimal approach to local daily programming, with no plans beyond the morning show

As the creative content professionals that have dedicated our professional lives to broadcasting, we share Rogers pride in providing local original programming to Vancouverites. We know Rogers could commit to so much more and we challenge them to make those commitments to the CRTC at this critical time

Please read the following letter from Howard Law, Director , Unifor Media Sector, and have your say on the future of Local Ethnic Programming

I am reaching out to inform you of alarming developments regarding the future of ethnic programming in Canada.

Rogers Media is currently applying to the federal regulator, the CRTC, to renew its OMNI television broadcast licenses on terms that will dramatically reduce or eliminate minimum guarantees of ethnic community and third-language programming. As you may recall, this comes on the heels of last year’s cuts to OMNI stations Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, when 21 programs were axed and more than 60 jobs cut.

Our union shares Rogers’ pride in providing ethnic and third-language programming geared to our newcomer and immigrant communities. A vibrant media connects us to our community, and gives us the tools to participate in a democratic life. That’s why Unifor raised concerns against the programming cuts announced last May – a concern that was supported by many of our fellow community advocates, like you As a result of our collective effort, the CRTC required an early review of Rogers’ license conditions for OMNI stations.

Unfortunately, Rogers has responded to this early review by asking the CRTC to go even further and scrap regulations guiding OMNI programming in its Conditions of License. Specifically, Rogers want to:

– Cut back on foreign-language programming so as to make way for U.S. comedy and entertainment shows, perhaps NHL hockey too, especially during the day and evening;
– Eliminate conditions that require stations to broadcast a diverse range of third- language programming;

– Amend the license so as to limit the number of broadcasts aimed at distinct ethnic groups (from 20 to as few as 10, without saying which communities are being targeted);

– Lower community-content minimums

When pressed for more detail on what the elimination of ethnic programming minimums will mean, and why they are needed, Rogers literally says in their legal brief, “trust us.” They provide no details of what will be cut, and no business plan to support their claim that by scrapping minimums of community programming it will all end well.

Rogers says their current OMNI business model is unsustainable. But they don’t provide any verifying information that a standard business statement or shareholder report would require.