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Decision
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Ottawa, 30 September 1988
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Decision CRTC 88-722
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Campus Laval FM Inc.
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Quebec City, Quebec -873430300
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Following a Public Hearing in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on 5 July 1988, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence of CKRL-MF Quebec from 1 October 1988 to 31 August 1993, subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.
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CKRL-MF, which commenced broadcasting on 14 February 1973, holds a special FM licence for community radio, Type B, and operates in a Group IV musical format. In Decision CRTC 86-772 dated 18 August 1986, the Commission renewed the station's licence for a period of just two years noting that while the licensee was generally in compliance with its commitments, it had a high concentration of non-authorized rock-oriented music and that it had not achieved the level of traditional and special interest (category 6) music set out in its Promise of Performance.
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In its presentation at the July 1988 public hearing, the licensee explained that CKRL-MF had survived a serious crisis in 1985. It noted that internal problems with respect to the station's staff and programming had had a serious impact on CKRL-MF's financial situation. By the end of its fiscal year, on 31 August 1985, the station had an accumulated deficit of $104,000, debts amounting to $75,000 and no funds in the bank.
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The licensee stated that, in response to this precarious situation, it took strong measures early in 1986 to revive the station and that these measures, which have already begun to bear fruit, are continuing today. The licensee noted its appointment of a new board of directors, whose first objective is to consolidate the station's financial situation, primarily through self-financing. In this regard, the licensee indicated that its financial statements have reflected a continual increase in advertising and other self-financing revenues since 1986. The licensee also stated that, in 1986, the station had received crucial community financial support in the form of donations and subscriptions amounting to almost $40,000, representing about 40% of the station's operating budget. Since that time, financial support from the community has averaged approximately 25% of the budget. The licensee also noted that CKRL-MF's current membership includes 1,200 individual members and some 20 member organizations and that it received further community support through a radiothon celebrating the station's fifteenth anniversary in the spring of 1988 which raised $18,000, an amount significantly higher than the station's objective. According to the licensee, all of these financial measures have reduced the station's accumulated deficit from $104,000 two and a half years ago to $9,000 at the end of April 1988.
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Moreover, the licensee stated that high staff turnover, particularly among volunteers (a problem which confronts all community radio stations), has presented a major challenge for CKRL-MF. The station employs only three people and is completely dependent on volunteers for the production of its programs. The licensee also pointed out that, following the station's difficult period in 1985, it found it necessary to rebuild its production teams systematically in order to provide them with greater stability and opportunity to participate. It has accomplished this through a better structured and longer training program. The licensee stated that between 100 and 125 volunteers are currently responsible for CKRL-MF's operations and that there is greater stability among the staff.
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With regard to programming, the licensee stated that, following the Commission's decision in 1986, the structure of the board of directors had been changed in order to gain better control over the station's programming. The licensee also noted that it had adopted a program "platform" to facilitate the development of a program schedule, to enable the station's programming committee to receive program proposals from volunteers, and to provide volunteers with supervision and follow-up.
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Two self-assessments conducted by the licensee of the programming it had broadcast during the weeks of 17 to 23 May and 11 to 17 October 1987 indicated that in general the station had complied with its current Promise of Performance. However, the Commission, based on its own analysis of the programming broadcast during the second of these weeks, noted that there were shortfalls in terms of foreground programming, French-language vocal music and the ratio of vocal to instrumental music. With regard to foreground programming, the Commission's analysis revealed that 14.7% of the programming broadcast was foreground material, compared to the station's commitment of 19.7%. In this regard, the Commission rejected 33 hours 59 minutes of the 50 hours 25 minutes of such programming that had been claimed by the licensee, but which did not conform with Commission criteria in terms of enrichment, specific theme or magazine-type programs. The Commission also noted a 53% level of French-language vocal music, compared to a commitment of 65%, and a ratio of vocal to instrumental music selections of 87:13 rather than the 50:50 level to which CKRL-MF was committed in its Promise of Performance.
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In addition to the above measures that have been put in place to ensure effective control of CKRL-MF's programming, the licensee stated that it had recently adopted a plan of action designed to improve its programming by developing and producing a public affairs magazine program, finding volunteers to help with its weekly arts magazine program and developing new foreground format programs. The licensee stated in this regard that the station currently broadcasts an amount of foreground programming that exceeds the minimum foreground level required. In its new Promise of Performance, the licensee proposed to increase its foreground programming from 19.7% to 24.1% which the Commission hereby approves. In terms of French-language vocal music, the licensee stated that its program producers will from now on be required to meet an objective of 80% in order to ensure that the minimum level of 65% is attained or exceeded at all times. The Commission also approves the licensee's proposals to change the ratio of vocal to instrumental music selections from 50:50 to 55:45 and to extend its night-time broadcasts by three hours on weekends. The Commission requires the licensee to take whatever steps are necessary to strengthen the control mechanisms that are currently in place in order to ensure that it complies fully and at all times with each aspect of its Promise of Performance.
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In terms of Canadian talent support, the Commission notes that the licensee promotes Canadian music on the air, fosters cultural expression, broadcasts concerts by Canadian artists recorded in concert halls or in studios and enables groups or individuals to broadcast their performances on the station by providing the necessary support and training in use of studio equipment.
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The Commission commends the licensee for the leadership it has provided and continues to provide to community radio stations in Quebec, in particular with respect to its efforts in organizing the "Quinzaine de la radiophonie internationale" conference.
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It is a condition of licence that the applicant not broadcast more than an average of 4 minutes of advertising per hour per day, with a maximum of 6 minutes per hour, in accordance with the community radio policy for Type B stations.
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It is also 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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The Commission acknowledges the written intervention submitted by the Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec in support of the renewal of CKRL-MF's licence.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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