ARCHIVED -  Public Notice CRTC 1999-137

Public Notice

Ottawa, 24 August 1999

Public Notice CRTC 1999-137

New licence form for commercial radio stations

Summary

The Commission recently initiated a revision of the licence form for commercial AM and FM radio stations. In future, the conditions of licence applicable to all such stations will appear only on the licence form. These conditions are shown in the appendix to this Public Notice.

Revision of the licence form

1.  The Commission has set an overall objective of fostering results-oriented management practices and processes with a focus on service to the public. It constantly strives to simplify and harmonize its processes and procedures to streamline administration and increase efficiency.

2.  The Commission recently initiated a revision of the licence form for commercial AM and FM radio stations. The revision reflects industry changes in the last few years, which culminated in the release of the Commercial Radio Policy 1998 - Public Notice CRTC 1998-41.

Licence/decision combination

3.  This Public Notice is to inform commercial radio licensees and other interested parties that, in future, the conditions of licence that apply to all commercial radio stations will appear only on the licence form. Decisions granting or renewing a licence will contain only those conditions of licence which represent a change or addition to the standard conditions of licence shown on the licence itself.

4.  With this new procedure, decisions will be less lengthy and time-consuming to read. Licensees will get a clear and complete picture of their obligations by referring to the decision together with the licence resulting from it, as well as to any additional written authority granted during the licence term. At the subsequent renewal, the licence will be revised to reflect any authority granted during the previous licence term.

5.  A complete list of the conditions of licence applicable to licensees of commercial AM and FM radio stations is provided in the appendix to this notice and on the new licence form. When a decision is issued granting a new licence or licence renewal, licensees should refer to this list, pending receipt of their licence from the Commission.

Related CRTC documents

·  Public Notice 1998-41 - Commercial Radio Policy 1998

·  Public Notice 1997-42 - Revised Policy on the Use of Hits by English-Language FM Radio Stations

·  Public Notice 1997-32 - Broadcasting Licence Fee Regulations, 1997

·  Public Notice 1995-196 - Contributions by Radio Stations to Canadian Talent Development - A New Approach

·  Public Notice 1995-60 - A Review of Certain Matters Concerning Radio

·  Public Notice 1993-121 - Local Programming Policy for FM Radio - Definition of a Single-Station Market

·  Public Notice 1993-38 - Policies for Local Programming on Commercial Radio Stations and Advertising on Campus Stations

·  Public Notice 1992-72 - A Review of the CRTC's Regulations and Policies for Radio

·  Public Notice 1989-23 - Services Using the Vertical Blanking Interval (Television) or Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (FM)

This notice is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be viewed at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca

Secretary General

APPENDIX TO PUBLIC NOTICE CRTC 1999-137 

Conditions for AM and FM stations

1.  If the licensee originates 42 or more hours of programming in any broadcast week, it is a condition of licence that the licensee adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee is a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.

2.  It is a condition of licence that the licensee adhere to the provisions of the CAB's Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.

3.  The licensee shall not affiliate with or disaffiliate from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation without the prior written approval of the Commission.

4.  Subject to paragraph 6, it is a condition of licence that the undertaking be operated on the basis of the contours and particulars contained in the approved application.

5.  Subject to paragraph 6, the licensee is required, by condition of licence, to make payments to third parties involved in Canadian talent development at the level identified for it in the Canadian Association of Broadcaters' (CAB) Distribution Guidelines for Canadian Talent Development, as set out in Public Notice CRTC 1995-196 as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission, and to report the names of the third parties associated with Canadian talent development, together with the amounts paid to each, concurrently with its annual return. The payments required under this condition of licence are over and above any outstanding commitments to Canadian talent development offered as benefits in an application to acquire ownership or control of the undertaking.

6.  This licence is also subject to any other conditions of licence which are specified in the most recent renewal decision (other than an administrative renewal) or, if there has been no renewal, in the initial licensing decision and in any subsequent written authorizations granted during the term of this licence.

Conditions for FM stations only

7.  As outlined in Public Notice CRTC 1989-23, as amended from time to time, it is a condition of licence that the licensee not use its Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation channel without the prior written approval of the Commission in order to distribute ethnic programs, where the time devoted to these programs represents more than 15% of the broadcast week and the licensee's service area overlaps an area already served by an ethnic station.

8.  Subject to paragraph 6, it is a condition of licence that this station not be operated within the Specialty format as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, as amended from time to time.

9.  Subject to paragraph 6, it is a condition of licence for commercial FM stations serving markets other than single-station markets (Public Notice CRTC 1993-121), that the licensee refrain from soliciting or accepting local advertising for broadcast during any broadcast week when less than one-third of the programming aired is local. The definition of local programming shall be as set out in Public Notice CRTC 1993-38, as amended from time to time.

10.  Subject to paragraph 6, it is a condition of licence for English-language commercial FM stations, that the licensee broadcast, in any broadcast week, less than 50% hit material as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1997-42, as amended from time to time.