ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 95-527

Decision

Ottawa, 10 August 1995

Decision CRTC 95-527

The Student Radio Society of the University of British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia - 941121600

Licence renewal for CITR-FM

Following Public Notice CRTC 1995-37 dated 2 March 1995, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence for the English-language FM campus/community radio programming undertaking CITR-FM Vancouver, from 1 September 1995 to 31 August 2000, subject to the conditions in effect under the current licence, as well as to those conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.

The licence term granted herein, while less than the maximum of seven years permitted by the Broadcasting Act, will enable the Commission to consider the next licence renewal of this undertaking in accordance with the Commission's regional plan for campus/community radio undertakings across Canada and to better distribute the Commission's workload. This term is not reflective of any Commission concern regarding the licensee's performance.

The Commission notes that a minimum of 35% of each broadcast week will be devoted to focused spoken word programming.

As outlined in Public Notice CRTC 1992-38, campus stations may increase or reduce their hours of broadcast by up to 20% without application to the Commission, provided they meet the minimum percentage commitments set out in their Promise of Performance. The licensee is reminded that any increase or decrease in the hours of broadcast beyond the 20% level requires authorization by the Commission.

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 representatives of the student body, faculty, alumni or administration representatives of the university or college with which the station is associated, considered together, form the majority of the board of directors. In addition, the Commission reminds the licensee that, in accordance with the requirements of the "Direction to the CRTC (Eligible Canadian Corporations)", the chairman or other presiding officer and each of the directors or other similar officers of the licensee must be Canadian citizens.

In accordance with Public Notice CRTC 1993-38 dated 19 April 1993 entitled "Policies for Local Programming on Commercial Radio Stations and Advertising on Campus Stations", the Commission authorizes the licensee, by condition of licence, to broadcast no more than 504 minutes of advertising per broadcast week, with a maximum of 4 minutes in any one hour. Of the weekly total of 504 minutes, a maximum of 126 minutes may be conventional advertising. The remainder of advertising broadcast must conform to the definition of restricted advertising set out in Public Notice CRTC 1993-38.

In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. It considers that campus/community radio stations should be particularly sensitive to this issue in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the icensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

In accordance with subsection 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, this renewal is subject to the issuance of a Broadcasting Certificate by the Department of Industry.

The Commission draws the licensee's attention to subsection 22(4) which provides that any broadcasting licence issued, amended or renewed in contravention of section 22 is of no force or effect.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General