Public Notice CRTC 1992-58

Ottawa, 1 September 1992

Public Notice CRTC 1992-58

1992 POLICY ON GENDER PORTRAYAL

1.(1)

In 1979 the federal government published Towards Equality for Women, a national action plan to promote the equality of women in Canadian society and eliminate discrimination. Following the publication of this report, the Minister of Communications wrote to the CRTC indicating that Cabinet considered the Commission to be an agency that could "most appropriately take steps to see that guidelines and standards to encourage the elimination of sex-role stereotyping from the media it regulates are formulated by 1980".

In response to these government initiatives, the CRTC formed a Task Force to develop guidelines and policy recommendations to ensure a more positive and realistic portrayal of women in the broadcast media. In 1980 the Task Force announced that it would hold regional public hearings to hear comments from interested parties. Following the hearings, the Task Force published its report, Images of Women, in 1982. The report presented a number of recommendations to improve the portrayal of women in Canadian broadcasting. In particular, it recommended a two-year trial period of self-regulation for both the broadcasting and advertising media, the effectiveness of which would be assessed by the Commission. As part of this assessment, the Commission hired an independent firm to conduct an analysis of the programming broadcast by a number of radio and television stations in the fall of 1984.

Other initiatives of the Commission included the issuance on 16 September 1983 of Public Notice CRTC 1983-211, requiring licensees to submit within one year a report on measures taken to deal with sex-role stereotyping. Moreover, in 1984 the Commission enacted amendments to its radio and television broadcasting regulations prohibiting the broadcasting of abusive comments and pictorial representation relating to race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability. A similar prohibition was subsequently incorporated into the regulations respecting pay television broadcasting undertakings and specialty programming services.

(2) 1986 Policy Statement (Public Notice CRTC 1986-351)

In January 1986 the Commission released "Sex-role Stereotyping in the Broadcast Media: A Report on Industry Self-Regulation". The document contained reports from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), the advertising industry and licensees, comments from the public and a summary of the 1984 research.

In April of that year, the Commission held a series of public hearings on the effectiveness of self-regulation over the two-year assessment period. Subsequently, it issued Public Notice CRTC 1986-351 "Sex-Role Stereotyping in the Broadcast Media: CRTC Policy Statement". The notice listed the various initiatives undertaken by the broadcasting and advertising industries during the two-year period, outlined the findings of the 1984 content analysis and other studies on sex-role, or gender, portrayal and presented a summary of representations made at the public hearings. It also set out commitments with regard to sex-role stereotyping that had been made by representatives of the broadcasting and advertising industries at the hearings.

While acknowledging that considerable work had been done to sensitize and educate the industry and the public to the issue, the Commission concluded that self-regulation had been only partially successful and that further action was necessary. Accordingly, the Commission set out specific expectations and recommendations to the CBC, the CAB and the Canadian Advertising Foundation (CAF) as well as initiatives that the Commission would itself undertake. These expectations and recommendations, and a summary of the commitments made by the industry associations, are presented below.

(3) Commitments and Expectations Set Out in the 1986 Notice

(a)CBC

At the 1986 hearings, the CBC committed to take measures to ensure that on-air staff reflect the growing role of women in Canadian society and that broadcast programs take into account the diversity of roles played by women in Canadian society. Other commitments included the establishment of goals for hiring women, particularly in on-air positions, and the issuance of gender-neutral language guidelines for use by CBC staff.

The Commission set out the following expectations and recommendations to the CBC:

* Show leadership in providing a more equal reflection and a better portrayal of women in the media;

* Release to the public any future studies on sex-role stereotyping; * Review programming and advertising complaints and submit a semi-annual report on the disposition of complaints to the Commission;

* Review the CBC sex-role stereotyping guidelines and submit a report to the Commission;

* Send the CBC's inclusive- language guidelines to owned-and-operated and affiliated stations;

* Meet with and submit an annual report to the Commission on efforts and future plans to eliminate sex-role stereotyping both on- and off-air.

(b)CAB

The CAB, on behalf of its members, committed to assist in the development of programming that presents fair and accurate portrayals of all people and to provide broadcasters with tools and directions to show them how to eliminate the offensive portrayal of all persons.

The CAB committed to establish a Broadcast Council to deal with complaints and to disseminate information to broadcasters and the public. The Association also stated its intention to review its guidelines on sex-role stereotyping and to issue gender-neutral language guidelines. Moreover, it committed to ensure the appointment of more women to the CAB Board of Directors and all internal committees, to distribute comprehensive lists of qualified women from which broadcasters could select commentators or experts and to examine the usefulness of a CAB employment clearing house.

The Commission set out the following expectations and recommendations to the CAB:

* Review the CAB guidelines in consultation with public representatives and submit the revised guidelines to the CRTC for acceptance; * Identify up to five target areas as subjects for research and as areas in which change will be measured.

* Develop the concept of a Broadcast Council to deal effectively with complaints on sex-role stereotyping. In the interim, review and strengthen the association's complaints mechanism and report semi-annually to the Commission on the disposition of complaints;

* Assist the industry to eliminate sex-role stereotyping through educational efforts such as seminars and convention work-shops;

* Meet with the CRTC and report annually in writing on members' progress and future plans for eliminating sex-role stereotyping from the broadcast media;

* Devise a method for assessing progress and to measure the extent to which broadcasters have been successful in increasing the visibility and involvement of women in broadcasting, both on- and off-air;

* Share in the funding of a second content study in 1988;

* Develop further initiatives to inform the public about the issue of sex-role stereotyping and the method of complaining about programs or commercials.

(c)CAF

The CAF made a commitment at the hearings to continue its efforts towards ensuring equality for all Canadians and to continue to administer the advertising industry's program of self-regulation. The Association also stated that it would continue its work on sex-role stereotyping with a new, modified committee as well as establish a committee on sexuality and violence.

Other commitments by the CAF included the development of educational programs for advertisers and agencies, monitoring of advertising for violations of the advertising industry guidelines and co-operation with the CAB in the establishment and operation of a Broadcast Council.

The Commission, as expectations and recommendations to the CAF, indicated that it should:

* Review the advertising industry guidelines and submit the revised guidelines to the Commission for acceptance prior to their adoption;

* Identify and set targets in specific areas in which progress can easily be measured for further improvement over the next three years;

* Enlarge and include public representatives on complaints review boards;

* Report to the Commission semiannually about the disposition of complaints;

* Continue educational efforts of members of the advertising industry;

* Work with small advertisers and licensees to help them eliminate sex-role stereotyping and conform to industry guidelines;

* Meet with the CRTC and report annually on the advertising industry's progress and future plans for eliminating sex-role stereotyping from the broadcast media;

* Share in the funding of a second content study in 1988.

(d)CRTC

In the 1986 notice, the Commission committed to undertake the following initiatives:

* Continue to maintain an internal committee on sex-role stereotyping to supervise the implementation of all commitments made by the various parties and the CRTC's own recommendations;

* Meet on a yearly basis with the CBC, CAB and CAF to receive a report on efforts made to eliminate sex-role stereotyping and to hear yearly plans for continued progress;

* Review the semi-annual report on complaints and their disposition from the CBC, CAB and CAF and determine the adequacy of the process for the public;

* Continue to act as a mechanism for resolving unsatisfied complaints and to deal with all complaints directed to non-CAB licensees;

* Include a status report on the issue of sex-role stereotyping in the CRTC's annual report;

* Review with broadcasters, at licence renewal time, the efforts they are making in the area of sex-role portrayal;

* Impose a condition of licence on radio and television licensees requiring adherence to the CAB self-regulatory guidelines, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission;

* Commission a follow-up study to the 1984 content analysis in 1988.

2. REVIEW OF THE POLICY ON SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPING

On 28 December 1990, the Commission issued Public Notice CRTC 1990-114, which announced its intention to review its policy on sex-role stereotyping and invited comments in this regard.

In conducting the review, the Commission has taken a number of considerations into account. These include: progress made by the CBC, the CAB and the CAF in fulfilling the commitments made at the 1986 public hearings, as well as the expectations and recommendations set out by the Commission; the initiatives undertaken by the Commission since the 1986 public notice; initiatives undertaken by the broadcasting and advertising industries in addition to those discussed in 1986; the findings of the follow-up study to the 1984 content analysis; and public comments received in response to Public Notice CRTC 1990-114.

(1) Developments Since the 1986 Policy

(a)CBC

The CBC has met all of the expectations and commitments set out in the 1986 notice, largely through the policies and procedures developed by the Office of Equitable Portrayal in Programming, the Employment Equity Office and the Advertising Standards Office.

The Office of Equitable Portrayal in Programming (formerly the Office of Portrayal of Women in Programming), established in 1979, is responsible for policies and procedures concerning the portrayal of women and minority groups in programs broadcast by the CBC. The Employment Equity Office, created in 1986, generates corporate initiatives relative to equitable employment. The Office of Advertising Standards administers policies and programs regarding sex-role portrayal in advertisements submitted to the CBC for broadcast. As well as handling complaints, the office screens advertisements in advance of broadcast to ensure their compliance with the CBC's Guidelines on Sex-Role Portrayal and works with advertisers to ensure that commercials reflect a positive portrayal of women.

The Corporation has reported to and met with the Commission regularly to discuss efforts and future plans with respect to sex-role portrayal and the disposition of complaints. It has also commissioned several content analyses of its own programs, which it has made available to the public.

The CBC revised its guidelines on sex-role portrayal, which were approved by the Commission in Public Notice CRTC 1991-109. It also published and distributed throughout the Corporation its gender-neutral linguistic guidelines in 1987. These have since been incorporated into the CBC Guidelines on Sex-Role Portrayal.

Action plans have been developed by both the network and the regions. These include objectives for female on-air personnel and female interviewees, for hiring and training programs, programming concepts and evaluation measures. The CBC also publishes internal directories of qualified women for use in selecting interviewees, actors, etc., and has participated financially with other organizations in the publication of external directories. The Corporation has also been active in education regarding sex-role portrayal, for example, by conducting sensitizing and information sessions for management and production staff. Activities relating to employment equity undertaken by the Corporation include the development of staffing and promotion measures for women and members of the other designated groups, the establishment of hiring objectives for the network and the regions, and the implementation of training courses focused on improving job accessibility for women.

(b)CAB

The CAB has fulfilled most of the expectations set out for it by the Commission as well as most of the commitments it made at the 1986 hearings. Since 1986 the CAB has maintained a committee on societal issues to track and respond to social concerns such as the portrayal of women.

The CAB submitted revised guidelines on sex-role portrayal, which were approved by the Commission in Public Notice CRTC 1990-99. The Association also developed and distributed guidelines for non-sexist language in 1987.

The Association has reported to and met annually with the Commission to discuss initiatives to eliminate sex-role stereotyping in the broadcast media and has submitted semi-annual reports on the disposition of complaints.

In 1989, the CAB established the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC). The role of the CBSC is to promote high quality, responsible broadcasting in Canada; to administer codes of industry standards, including those on sex role portrayal; and to deal with complaints from members of the public. The Council has an educational component that organizes activities such as workshops and seminars.

The Commission conveyed its support of the objectives of the CBSC in Public Notice CRTC 1991-90. Since that time, the Commission has been willing to suspend, upon application, the condition of licence requiring adherence to the CAB's sex-role portrayal guidelines in the case of licensees that have been members in good standing of the CBSC for at least six months. Membership in the CBSC requires adherence to the CAB sex-role portrayal guidelines.

The CAB has been active in creating plans and mechanisms to promote employment equity in the industry, including the development of a plan to assist broadcasters in identifying, employing and promoting an increased number of qualified women into the mainstream of their operations. In response to a proposal by the CAB, the Department of Employment and Immigration is currently conducting a labour force development strategy to determine future human resource needs of the Canadian broadcasting industry. The CAB also prepared a strategic plan in 1991 to identify, recruit and encourage the involvement of women on CAB committees and boards of directors, as well as on committees and boards of regional broadcast associations.

(c)CAF

The Commission regulates and monitors all matters pertaining to broadcasting, including advertising, pursuant to the Broadcasting Act and regulations. It has the authority to make regulations respecting the character of advertising and the amount of time that may be devoted to it. The CRTC, however, has no mandate to regulate the advertising industry itself. Nevertheless, the Commission notes the many efforts of the CAF to improve the portrayal of women in advertising, as well as the cooperation it has received from the Foundation.

The CAF has, for the most part, met the commitments it made in 1986, as well as the expectations and recommendations set out for it by the Commission. In 1987 the CAF revised its Sex-Role Stereotyping Guidelines that apply to advertising. The Foundation has recently undertaken to further review and revise these guidelines to attain consistency with the CAB's sex-role portrayal guidelines that were approved by the Commission in 1990. The Foundation also revised the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards in 1990 to address exploitation of sexuality.

The CAF has reported to and met with the Commission on an annual basis regarding activities undertaken to improve the portrayal of women in advertising. It has also reported semi-annually to the Commission on complaints received about commercials broadcast on radio and television.

The CAF established the Advisory Panel on Sex-role Stereotyping in 1987. The group is responsible for the dissemination and administration of guidelines relating to the portrayal of the sexes in advertising, and oversees the Foundation's on-going education program among its constituents. Public representatives were added to the group's membership in response to the Commission's request for expansion of the CAF's review boards.

The CAF revised its complaint handling procedures to be more streamlined and effective. Moreover, it worked closely with the CAB in the establishment of the CBSC and has agreed to handle any advertising-related complaints received by the Council.

The CAF has undertaken various efforts to educate and work with advertisers in the area of sex-role portrayal, including publicizing its sex-role stereotyping guidelines and other codes among the industry and the public, participation in meetings and consultations, and the launching of an industry advertising campaign (Advertising. Talk To Us About It) in 1988. The CAF is currently developing plans to extend its educational program and, dependent upon resources, to conduct industry seminars on self-regulatory issues, including the portrayal of women. The CAF also refers to its sex-role stereotyping guidelines when pre-clearing scripts with respect to the codes for advertising to children, advertising of feminine sanitary protection products and cosmetics, and provides consultations with advertisers and agencies in instances where a potential problem with regard to sex-role portrayal is found to exist. The Commission notes that the CAF has recently undertaken to flag potential sex-role stereotyping problems in all scripts submitted to it for pre-clearance, including advertising pertaining to food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The CAF contributed to the funding of the 1988 replication study, pursuant to the commitment made by the Foundation in this regard at the 1986 public hearings.

(d) Canadian Women in Radio and Television

In 1991, Canadian Women in Radio and Television (CWRT) was established by women in the broadcasting industry. The goal of the CWRT, a non-profit organization, is to increase the involvement and impact of women in broadcasting and related fields. Its activities focus on training and development programs, such as educational seminars and workshops and the creation of a job bank. CWRT's membership includes private broadcasters, the CBC and program producers.

(e)CRTC

For its part, the Commission has fulfilled the initiatives set out for itself in the 1986 public notice. The Commission has maintained an internal committee on sex-role stereotyping to oversee the implementation of the commitments made by the industry associations in 1986, as well as its own recommendations. On behalf of the Commission, the committee meets with the CBC, the CAB and the CAF on a yearly basis and reviews the reports submitted on the industries' activities with respect to sex-role portrayal and the disposition of complaints.

In its 1986 public notice, the Commission notified radio and television broadcasting licensees that it would impose conditions of licence at the time of licence renewal, requiring their adherence to the industry sex-role stereotyping guidelines. In general, the Commission has applied the condition of licence to the licensees of radio and television stations that originate 42 or more hours of programming per week and of radio and television networks that distribute 7 or more hours of network programming per week. The Commission has also reviewed at the time of licence renewal the efforts of broadcasters to improve the portrayal of women.

As indicated in the 1986 notice, the Commission undertook a follow-up study of the 1984 content analysis in 1988 to assess what degree of change had occurred in the portrayal of women and men over the four-year period. The findings of the 1988 study are contained in five reports, which were made available to the public in December 1990.

(2) Public Comments Received in Response to Public Notice CRTC 1990-114

The Commission received 569 submissions in response to Public Notice CRTC 1990-114, which invited public comment on the review of the CRTC's sex-role portrayal policies and the 1988 replication study. Of these, 472 were in the form of postcards offering general comments on the Commission's role with respect to gender portrayal. The majority of these requested the Commission to increase its involvement in the assessment of industry performance in dealing with gender stereotyping, to maintain and enforce the condition of licence requiring adherence to the sex-role portrayal guidelines and to consult further with women and women's groups on the issue. The remaining 97 submissions included comments from individuals, women's groups, educational associations, the broadcasting and advertising industries, program producers and governments. The submissions addressed the methodology of the 1988 replication study, the on- and off-air presence and portrayal of women in the broadcast media, and the CRTC's role and policies with respect to sex-role portrayal.

(a) Methodology of the 1988 Replication Study

A few submissions addressed the methodology of the 1988 replication study. The CAF and the CAB expressed concern that a quantitative analysis does not provide insight into qualitative aspects of portrayal, nor attitudinal changes on the part of the public, advertisers and broadcasters. The CAF also commented that "standardised analysis is not always the most relevant, nor does it reveal, especially in summary form, the nature and extent of the changes that occurred in the four year period".

The CBC, on the other hand, supported the use of quantitative research in assessing the status of, or changes in, the nature of broadcast programming content. According to the Corporation, "periodic content analyses ... are invaluable in helping those in the industry understand their strengths and weaknesses."

(b) The Presence and Portrayal of Women in the Broadcast Media

(i)On- and Off-Air Presence

Almost half of the detailed submissions addressed the issue of equitable representation of women, both on- and off-air. Most of these expressed concern that fewer women than men appear on-air in almost every area of broadcasting. This concern was especially identified with respect to the 35 to 65 age group in television. Comments also identified potential consequences of this situation, including discrimination in employment and opportunities for women in society.

A number of submissions also addressed the relative shortage of women at all levels of the industry. Many of these linked the limited presence of women in management positions, particularly in key creative or decision-making roles, to the similar shortage of women in certain on-air positions and to negative portrayals of women.

(ii)Portrayal

About a third of the submissions addressed the issue of roles, or portrayal, of women in the broadcast media. The main concern was that women are portrayed in a limited number of roles, which are "traditionally female". Concern was also expressed regarding the portrayal of women as "decorative" or as "sex objects", especially in advertising. A number of parties referred to the depiction of stereotypical character traits of women, such as passivity and incompetence.

Several submissions identified potential consequences of negative portrayals of women, such as adverse social attitudes towards women, discrimination in the workforce, a lack of role models, and violence against women. Educational and women's groups expressed concern about the effects of negative portrayals on the socialization of children.

(c) CRTC Sex-Role Stereotyping Policy

The majority of the submissions addressed the Commission's role and policies with respect to sex-role portrayal. Two-thirds of the parties, including the CBC, supported continued involvement by the Commission in the area; many of these also advocated increased involvement. Most of the proponents of greater CRTC involvement also supported the maintenance of the condition of licence requiring adherence to the industry guidelines on sex-role portrayal. A number of the submissions also proposed that the Commission monitor broadcasters' performance more strictly, either on an annual basis or at licence renewal. Some parties suggested the imposition of such penalties as fines, suspensions or licence revocation for non-compliance with the sex-role portrayal guidelines. It was also suggested that the Commission impose specific targets and timetables on broadcasters with respect to increasing the on-air presence of women.

A number of parties advocated increased public involvement in the issue of sex-role portrayal. Several parties also requested that the Commission hold public hearings on the issue.

Several briefs addressed the issue of education. While some parties see the Commission as having a responsibility to sensitize and educate the public on sex-role portrayal, others commented that broadcasters should increase their educational efforts through such mechanisms as conferences, seminars, workshops and manuals.

A number of submissions addressed the clause in the Broadcasting Act referring to employment, and suggested that the Commission take an active role in employment equity in the broadcasting industry.

Submissions from private broadcasters and advertisers supported industry self-regulation. According to the CAB, the 1988 replication study was premature, in that industry-wide mechanisms established in 1986 had not been given sufficient time to realize their objectives. The CAB expressed the view that self-regulation can be achieved effectively through the CBSC as well as through processes and programs aimed at training and promoting women and members of other under-represented groups. According to the Association, these processes and programs have a direct effect on those aspects of the portrayal problem over which stations have the most direct control, specifically station-produced programming and commercials.

3.AVENUES FOR THE FUTURE

The Commission considers that the broadcasting and advertising industries have demonstrated increased awareness and responsibility in the area of gender portrayal over the last decade. This is evidenced by the fulfilment of commitments and expectations set out in Public Notice CRTC 1986-351, as well as the various initiatives that have been undertaken in recent years, in particular since the 1988 replication study.

The Commission especially notes the organizational structures that have been developed by the industry to address gender portrayal and related issues, including the creation of the CBC's Office of Equitable Portrayal in Programming and Employment Equity Office, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and Canadian Women in Radio and Television.

Other activities undertaken by the broadcasting and advertising industries have also contributed to the development of an infrastructure to deal with and bring about positive change in the area of gender portrayal. Strengthened guidelines on sex-role portrayal and gender-neutral linguistic guidelines have been put in place by the CBC and the CAB. The CAF, which revised its guidelines for the advertising industry in 1987, is in the process of once again reviewing and updating them. Each of these organizations, as well as the CBSC, has undertaken efforts to educate and sensitize broadcasters and advertisers to the issue of sex-role portrayal, by convening workshops and seminars and by distributing information on the issue. Both the public and private broadcasting industries have recently implemented strategies and programs to encourage employment equity. The CBC's practice of pre-screening commercials and the commitment by the CAF to flag commercials submitted to it for pre-clearance also demonstrate a commitment to improving gender portrayal in advertising.

The Commission considers that continued progress may be achieved more effectively through institutional mechanisms such as those described above, that focus on such aspects as education, awareness and employment equity, rather than through regulatory intervention.

Based on the research findings and public comments received, the Commission has identified a number of areas in which it considers that greater progress could be achieved in the representation of women. These include the following areas:

* on-air staff positions, such as news reporters and announcers;

* interviewees and experts in news and information programming;

* characters portraying non-traditional roles in entertainment programs;

* persons 35 to 65 years of age appearing in programs and commercials;

* voice-overs in advertising;

* characters in advertisements for high-ticket items.

The Commission considers that, of these areas, those that pertain to the portrayal, or roles, of women (the use of female interviewees and experts, characters in non-traditional roles, persons aged 35-65, and characters in advertisements for high-ticket items) can be addressed through such mechanisms as application of the strengthened guidelines on sex-role portrayal and, most importantly, through education and awareness. The areas that pertain to the "presence" of women (on-air staff positions and voice-overs) can most immediately be addressed through employment equity initiatives.

While progress should be demonstrated in all programming, the Commission is of the view that the greatest potential for change lies in licensee-produced programming and commercials, where broadcasters have the most direct daily control. The Commission notes that one area in which progress was seen between 1984 and 1988 is in the greater participation of women as program staff, particularly television newscasters and information program staff, and radio announcers.

Future Policy

The CBC, the CAB and the CAF have taken a number of steps to improve the presence and portrayal of women in the broadcast media and the Commission expects them to continue their work. In particular, it encourages these organizations to continue and increase their involvement in the education and sensitization of individual broadcasters and advertisers on the issues of gender portrayal.

The Commission especially notes comments received from the public that the CRTC continue to be involved in the area of gender portrayal. Accordingly, the Commission will continue to supervise efforts to improve gender portrayal and equitable representation in programming and advertising.

The Commission will continue to meet on a yearly basis with the CBC, the CAB and the CAF to receive their reports on the activities they have undertaken to improve gender portrayal and to hear each organization's yearly plans for continued progress. Moreover, as noted in Public Notice CRTC 1991-90, the Commission requires the CBSC to keep it informed of the Council's activities, including its educational efforts. The Commission will require the CBC and the CAF to continue to file semi-annual reports on the disposition of complaints regarding sex-role portrayal. As noted in Public Notice CRTC 1991-90, information on complaints about sex-role portrayal that relate to the activities of private broadcasters that are dealt with by the CBSC will be reported to the Commission on an annual basis. All annual and semi-annual reports will be placed on the public file.

The Commission will continue to expect the CBC and the CAB to review their respective guidelines on sex-role portrayal on a regular basis to ensure that they continue to respond to changing public concerns, and to submit changes to their guidelines for approval by the Commission. The Commission notes that the CAF is currently reviewing its guidelines and encourages the Foundation to periodically undertake such reviews in the future.

The Commission will investigate establishing a process to flag potential gender portrayal problems in alcohol commercials submitted to it for pre-clearance. Such a process would be similar to that undertaken by the CAF in respect of commercials submitted to it for pre-clearance.

The Commission will continue to impose a condition of licence requiring adherence to the CAB's sex-role portrayal guidelines, or, in the case of the CBC, to the Corporation's guidelines. The condition will continue to be applied to all radio stations that originate 42 or more hours of programming per week and to radio networks where the licensee distributes a total of 7 or more hours of network programming per week. However, it should be noted that the condition of licence will be applied to all television stations and networks that originate programming, and to pay television and specialty programming undertakings. In cases where a licensee applies and demonstrates that it has been a member in good standing of the CBSC for at least six months, the Commission will be prepared to suspend the application of the condition of licence as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the Council.

The Commission will continue to monitor industry progress through its assessment of the activities of the industry associations and the CBSC, as well as through its analysis of the semi-annual reports on complaints. It also encourages each industry sector to assess its own progress. The Commission will continue to report to the public on a regular basis through its annual reports and public notices.

The Commission has published today Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 entitled "Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy", which sets out its policy on employment equity for the broadcasting industry. Under the policy, the Commission will expect licensees and prospective licensees, at the time of licence renewal or upon application for a new licence or for the the transfer of ownership or control of a broadcasting undertaking, to be prepared to address with respect to such qualitative measures as training and development measures aimed at members of the designated groups.

In order to address concerns about the under-representation of women and members of other designated groups in on-air positions, the Commission will require licensees to provide for equitable employment in on-air positions, such as reporters, hosts, announcers and voice-overs in licensee-produced programming and advertising. The Commission will consult with the industry and with representatives of the designated groups to determine which "on-air" job categories should be included in the goals set out in each licensee's employment equity plans.

The Commission will continue to expect all radio and television licensees to increase their efforts to eliminate sex-role stereotyping and to adhere to the approved industry guidelines at all times. The Commission acknowledges the large number of thoughtful comments received and wishes to express its appreciation to all those who participated in this review.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General