CRTC approves broadcasting licence for Mohawk station in Quebec

The CRTC has approved a new broadcasting licence for Mohawk Multi Media Inc., allowing it to operate an English and Kanien’ke:ha (Mohawk) language Indigenous ration station in Kanesatake/Oka, Quebec. Mohawk Multi Media (MMM), a not-for-profit, operates the low-power Indigenous radio station CKHQ-FM Kanesatake, the CRTC said in its Monday decision on the licence, and wishes to change its status from an unprotected low-power station to a class A1 protected station. The station operator’s goal is to protect its frequency and “preserve a radio service that promotes Mohawk identity in the region by offering original content to the community,” the decision said. Each broadcast week, the station will put out 126 hours of programming -- 119 of which would be local programming. The remaining seven hours would be wrap-around programming originating from another Indigenous station, CKRK-FM Kahnawake. The majority of the local programming would consist of 89.5 hours of English-language content, 28.5 hours of Kanien’ke:ha (Mohawk) language content, and one hour of French-language content. The CRTC said MMM indicated in its application that each week would include approximately 20 hours worth of spoken-word programming and 106 hours of music, 17 of which would be music performed or composed by Indigenous creators. This is in line with MMM’s objective of protecting and preserving the Mohawk identity by “highlighting various aspects of the culture such as language, art, history, values and traditions,” the CRTC said. As part of its decision, the regulator will revoke CKHQ-FM’s current licence and issue the new one once the department of industry confirms that its technical requirements have been met and MMM informs the CRTC that it is prepared to start operating under the new technical parameters, it said. Monday’s licence decision follows MMM’s CRTC-approved acquisition of CKHQ-FM in May after the group filed an application to take on the assets from CKHQ United Voices Radio. In 2014, the CRTC approved an application by James Nelson, on behalf of United Voice, to operate the Indigenous radio station, according to the regulator’s previous decision. Three years later, a flood destroyed the station’s studio and most of its transmitting equipment, causing CKHQ-FM to go off air, it said. It then “faced a number of hurdles, including financial difficulties and a lack of operational experience, that prevented it from relaunching the station.” The commission renewed its licence in 2019 “for administrative purposes” and in April 2020, United Voice, Mohawk Multi Media and the Mohawk Council managed to relaunch the station.

CRTC approves broadcasting licence for Mohawk station in Quebec

Brief | June 14, 2021

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CRTC approves broadcasting licence for Mohawk station in Quebec

Brief | June 14, 2021

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