Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-71
References: Part 1 licence renewal applications posted on 29 September 2022 and 22 November 2022
Ottawa, 15 March 2023
Cogeco Media Acquisitions Inc.
Montréal, Quebec
Cogeco Media Inc.
Various locations in Quebec
Public record: The application numbers are set out in the decision.
Various commercial radio stations – Licence renewals
- The Commission has the authority, pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act, to issue and renew licences for such terms not exceeding seven years and subject to such conditions related to the circumstances of the licensee as it deems appropriate for the implementation of the broadcasting policy set out in subsection 3(1) of the Broadcasting Act.
- Consistent with that authority, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for the commercial radio programming undertakings listed below from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2030.Footnote 1 The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to these applications. The terms and conditions of licence for these stations are set out in the appendix to this decision.
English-language commercial radio station operating in Quebec
| Licensee | Call sign and Locality | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Cogeco Media Acquisitions Inc. | CKBE-FM Montréal | 2022-0722-4 |
French-language commercial radio stations operating in Quebec
| Licensee | Call sign and Locality | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Cogeco Media Acquisitions Inc. | CKOI-FM Montréal | 2022-0723-2 |
| Cogeco Media Acquisitions Inc. | CHMP-FM Longueuil | 2022-0731-5 |
| Cogeco Media Inc. | CHRL-FM Roberval | 2022-0733-1 |
| Cogeco Media Inc. | CHVD-FM Dolbeau | 2022-0726-6 |
Reminders
Tangible benefits
- In regard to CHRL-FM and CHVD-FM, the Commission reminds Cogeco Media Inc. that it must pay any remaining tangible benefits stemming from the ownership transaction that was approved in Broadcasting Decision 2018-396, within the timeline set out in that decision.
Local news
- Radio stations are an important daily source of local news and information for communities. Holding a broadcasting licence comes with conditions, regulatory obligations and responsibilities, which include contributing to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring that Canadians have access to local programming that reflects their needs and interests and informs them of important current issues.
- Although Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332 does not specify a minimum level of weekly news to be broadcast, it does specify the type of spoken word material that must be included as part of a station’s local programming. In accordance with that regulatory policy, the Commission reminds the licensees that their stations, in their local programming, must incorporate spoken word material of direct and particular relevance to the communities served, and that this programming must include local news, weather, sports coverage, and the promotion of local events and activities. In addition, the Commission encourages the licensees to ensure that a reasonable amount of daily local news and information is made available to those communities.
Force and effect of broadcasting licences
- Pursuant to section 22 of the Broadcasting Act, the broadcasting licences renewed in this decision will cease to have any force or effect if the broadcasting certificates issued by the Department of Industry (also known as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) lapse.
Employment equity
- Because Cogeco Media Acquisitions Inc. and Cogeco Media Inc. are subject to the Employment Equity Act and file reports concerning employment equity with the Department of Employment and Social Development, their employment equity practices are not examined by the Commission.
Practical guide for radio licence renewals
- To learn more about the Commission’s review of compliance with requirements relating to radio licences, and about the radio renewal process, please consult the Commission’s Practical guide to radio licence renewals.
Secretary General
Related documents
- Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022
- Various commercial radio programming undertakings – Administrative renewals, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2021-297, 30 August 2021
- Various radio programming undertakings – Administrative renewals, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-381, 27 November 2020
- Various radio programming undertakings – Acquisition of assets, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2018-396, 11 October 2018
This decision is to be appended to each licence.
Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-71
Terms, conditions of licence and expectations for the commercial radio programming undertakings for which the broadcasting licences have been renewed in this decision
Terms
The licence will expire 31 August 2030.
Condition of licence applicable to all stations with the exception of CHMP-FM Longueuil, Quebec
- The licensee shall adhere to the conditions of licence set out in Revised conditions of licence for commercial AM and FM radio stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-334, 7 December 2022, as well as to the conditions set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.
Conditions of licence applicable to CHMP-FM Longueuil, Quebec
- The licensee shall adhere to the conditions of licence set out in Revised conditions of licence for commercial AM and FM radio stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-334, 7 December 2022, with the exception of condition of licence 7, as well as to the conditions set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.
- The station shall be operated within the Specialty format as defined in A Review of Certain Matters Concerning Radio, Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, 21 April 1995, in conjunction with Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-333, 7 December 2022.
- The licensee shall devote more than 50% of the programming broadcast during the broadcast week to programming drawn from content category 1 (Spoken Word), as defined in Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-333, 7 December 2022.
Additional conditions of licence applicable to CKBE-FM Montréal, Quebec
- The licensee is authorized to use a Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (SCMO) channel to distribute ethnic programming in the Portuguese language. The Commission reminds the licensee that as stated in section 3(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act, the licensee is responsible for the programs that it broadcasts. The licensee is therefore expected to ensure that its SCMO service is operated in a responsible manner and to adhere to the guidelines regarding the provision of SCMO services set out in Appendix A to Services using the vertical blanking interval (television) or subsidiary communications multiplex operation (FM), Public Notice CRTC 1989-23, 23 March 1989.
- The licensee shall not broadcast more than 20 minutes of paid commercial messages in any broadcast day on the SCMO channel.
Additional condition of licence applicable to CKOI-FM Montréal, Quebec
- The licensee shall devote no more than 10% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast week to montages.
For the purposes of these conditions, the terms “broadcast week” and “montage” shall have the meanings set out in the Radio Regulations, 1986.
Expectations applicable to all stations
Cultural diversity
The Commission expects the licensee to reflect the cultural diversity of Canada in its programming and employment practices.
Canadian emerging artists
Consistent with the Commission’s determination set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022 (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332), the Commission expects the licensee to devote, in each broadcast week, at least 5% of the station’s musical selections to selections from Canadian emerging artists broadcast in their entirety. The licensee should report annually on how it has met this expectation, including the percentage of selections from Canadian emerging artists out of the total number of musical selections that were aired, and the number of distinct artists whose music has been aired. The licensee should also be able to provide, upon request, information such as a list of all titles, artists, and International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) numbers.
For the purposes of the above paragraph, the definition of “Canadian emerging artist” is the same as that set out in paragraph 346 of Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332.
Indigenous musical selections
Consistent with the Commission’s determination set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022 (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332), the Commission expects the licensee to include Indigenous musical selections on the station’s playlist. The licensee should report annually on the amount of Indigenous content aired on the station throughout the broadcast year (i.e., from 1 September to 31 August), including the percentage of Indigenous musical selections out of the total number of musical selections that were aired, and the number of distinct artists whose music has been aired. The licensee should also be able to provide, upon request, information such as a list of all titles, artists, and International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) numbers.
For the purposes of the above paragraph, the licensee may use the provisional definition of “Indigenous-Canadian musical selection” set out in paragraph 441 of Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332 to determine whether a musical selection can be considered an Indigenous musical selection.
- Date modified: