Ottawa and Toronto, April 29, 1997 -- Vision TV and the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) today announced the membership of Vision in Canada’s self-regulatory broadcast organization, the CBSC. Vision is the first national specialty television channel to join the Council.
In joining the Council, Vision TV agrees to have the CBSC administer the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Voluntary Code Regarding Violence in Television Programming, which is a condition of licence for Canada’s conventional broadcasters and specialty television services. Further, Vision will look to the CBSC for the administration of the Vision TV Code of Ethics, Standards and Practices. Vision TV’s particular mandate as Canada’s Faith Network, and its programs, which reflect the full spectrum of faith and belief both in Canada and around the world, often deal with potentially contentious issues. Vision’s promise of performance underlines its commitment to achieving a high standard of adherence to the Codes established by CAB members. The Vision/CBSC launch date begins immediately.
Fil Fraser, Chief Executive Officer and President of Vision TV, noted, “Vision is a unique service, mandated to present programming that reflects Canada’s many faiths and religions, and to promote understanding, tolerance and cooperation among cultures. By joining the CBSC and having the CBSC administer our Code of Ethics, we are demonstrating our support for a self-regulatory organization that has dealt responsibly and fairly with complaints for the past six years.”
Added Ron Cohen, National Chair of the CBSC, “We’re delighted to have Vision join us. The fit between Vision’s programming objectives and the industry Codes that we have been administering for several years is excellent, and by having specialty services like Vision join us, we can ensure that the standards are applied and interpreted consistently across all segments of the broadcasting system.”
The CBSC was created in 1990 by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), as Canada’s self-regulatory organization for private sector broadcasters. In addition to the Codes on television violence, the CBSC administers a Code of Ethics, a Sex-Role Portrayal Code, and a Code of (Journalistic) Ethics. Since its inception, the CBSC has responded to over 1,100 public complaints and issued over 70 decisions regarding its members’ programming. 94% of CAB members are already members of the CBSC.
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