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Decision
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Ottawa, 30 September 1988
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Decision CRTC 88-705
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Radio Ottawa Inc.
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Ottawa, Ontario -873809800
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Following a Public Hearing in the National Capital Region on 7 June 1988, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence for the French-and English-language carrier current student radio station CFUO Ottawa serving the residences of the University of Ottawa, from 1 October 1988 to 31 August 1990, subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued. This term will enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence at the same time as that of other radio stations in the area.
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The Commission notes that CFUO broadcasts 59 hours weekly in each of the French and English languages. It also broadcasts eight hours weekly of ethnic programs, consisting of six hours in foreign languages and two hours of English-and French-language programming.
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The licensee has applied to decrease its overall commitment to French-language vocal music from 35% to 30%. In assessing this proposal, the Commission has considered the licensee's arguments including its contention that its current commitment is unrealistic, given the availability of French-language musical selections and the lowering of guidelines in this area from 65% to 55% for conventional French-language broadcasters.
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The Commission, however, is not convinced that the proposed decrease is justified in this case, given that CFUO is a station which broadcasts less than half its programming in the French-language, and should therefore encounter far less difficulty than conventional broadcasters in obtaining sufficient French-language musical selections.
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Furthermore, the Commission expects student stations to exceed the levels of performance committed to by conventional broadcasters. Accordingly, the Commission denies the licensee's application and expects it to adhere to its current commitment of 35% French-language vocal music.
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As noted in Decision CRTC 84-395, which originally granted a licence for this station, the licensee is reminded of its commitment regarding French-language vocal music "by allocating most of its record budget to the purchase of French-language records, and then by encouraging English-speaking announcers at the station to include French-language music in their programs".
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The Commission notes the licensee's proposal to adhere to its original commitment to confine its commercial activities to a maximum of 4 minutes per hour of restricted advertising as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1983-43 and subsequently amended in Public Notice CRTC 1985-194.
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It is a condition of licence that the licensee retain full control over all decisions concerning the management and programming of this station and that the majority of directors be students. In addition the Commission reminds the applicant that, in accordance with the requirements of the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility to Hold Broadcasting Licences), the chairman or other presiding officer and each of the directors or other similar officers of the licensee must be Canadian citizens.
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It is a condition of licence that the licensee adhere to the CAB's self-regulatory guidelines on sex-role stereotyping, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1986-351 dated 22 December 1986, entitled Policy on Sex-Role Stereotyping in the Broadcast Media, the Commission stated that it intended to review with broadcasters at licence renewal time their efforts towards elimination of sex-role stereotyping. Inasmuch as Commission files indicate that CFUO Ottawa has not yet filed a report on its initiatives to deal with complaints and to sensitize staff as to concerns in this area, the Commission requires CFUO to submit a report within three months of the date of this decision, detailing the measures it has taken to address the concerns and expectations outlined in the Commission's policy statement.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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