Another FM station gets short-term renewal for non-compliance

The CRTC issued another short-term broadcasting licence renewal after it found a French-language commercial ethnic AM radio station had not complied with its regulatory requirements. In a Tuesday decision, the commission renewed CPAM Radio Union.com Inc.'s CJWI from Sept. 2023 to Aug. 2026 in order to “allow for an earlier review of the licensee’s compliance” with the regulations. CJWI is an ethnic radio station required to devote at least 90 per cent of its programming to French-language ethnic programs that target Haitian, Latin American and African communities. Seventy per cent of the musical selections must be from the world beat and international musical categories – and 35 per cent of those selections must meet Canadian content criteria. The commission first renewed CJWI’s licence for a short term in 2009, having found that it was in non-compliance with the Radio Regulations relating to the filing of annual returns. Upon its renewal in 2015, the CRTC found it was once again non-compliant because the station did not file complete annual returns or meet its Canadian content development (CCD) contributions. Given that it was CJWI’s second consecutive licence term being non-compliant, the commission forced the licensee to make an additional CCD contribution of $2,500 above what it should have paid. The Commission also required the licensee to broadcast an on-air announcement regarding its non-compliance. In 2018, the commission found CJWI had been non-compliant with the extra CCD contributions and the on-air announcement; filing complete annual returns; responding to all requests for information;and keeping and filing complete program logs. The commission issued mandatory orders which CJWI did not follow during that licence terms and again during its 2020 licence term. In addition the CRTC found that this time around the CJWI has not devoted 35 per cent of the musical selections from the “World Beat and International” category to Canadian selections. The commission determined that 34.25 per cent of the broadcast musical selections from the category were Canadian selections. The radio station has asked the CRTC for relief from the 35 per cent requirement arguing that world beat and international music that also meets CanCon criteria is very limited. “Latin and African music recorded in Canada is not very abundant. Thus, to achieve the percentage set out in the condition of service, the same selections must be frequently repeated... Nevertheless, it considered that it has made great efforts to reach the target established in the condition of service,” CJWI argued to the commission. CJWI requested that the CanCon requirement be reduced to 20 per cent instead. The commission granted the request noting CJWI’s 0.75 per cent shortfall was only a small breach. In addition, a 35 per cent requirement for Canadian world beat and international music selections “is much higher than the standard requirement for ethnic stations.” The commission also allowed the station to continue its operations despite repeated non-compliance, noting “the licensee’s willingness to ensure that the station complies with its regulatory requirements” and “a significant improvement in CJWI’s performance during the current licence term.” – Reporting by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca and editing by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca

Another FM station gets short-term renewal for non-compliance

News | August 29, 2023

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Another FM station gets short-term renewal for non-compliance

News | August 29, 2023

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