Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-74

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References: Part 1 licence renewal applications posted on 29 September 2022

Ottawa, 16 March 2023

ZoomerMedia Limited
Cobourg, Collingwood and Toronto, Ontario

Public record: 2022-0647-4, 2022-0648-2 and 2022-0649-0

CFMO-FM Collingwood, CFMX-FM Cobourg and CFMZ-FM Toronto – Licence renewals

1. 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.
2. Consistent with that authority, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial specialty radio programming undertakings listed below, which are operated by ZoomerMedia Limited (formerly MZ Media Inc.), 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 appendices to this decision.

   Commercial radio stations operating in Ontario

   Call sign and locality	Application
   CFMO-FM Collingwood	2022-0649-0
   CFMX-FM Cobourg	2022-0648-2
   CFMZ-FM Toronto	2022-0647-4

Reminders

Local news

3. 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.
4. 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 licensee that its 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 licensee to ensure that a reasonable amount of daily local news and information is made available to those communities.

Force and effect of broadcasting licences

5. 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

6. Because this licensee is subject to the Employment Equity Act and files reports with the Department of Employment and Social Development, its employment equity practices are not examined by the Commission.

Practical guide for radio licence renewals

7. 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

This decision is to be appended to each licence.

Appendix 1 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-74

Terms, conditions of licence and expectations for the English-language commercial specialty radio programming undertakings CFMO-FM Collingwood and CFMX-FM Cobourg, Ontario

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2030.

Conditions of licence

1. 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 conditions 7 and 8, as well as to the conditions set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.
2. 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.
3. As an exception to the percentages of basic annual Canadian content development (CCD) contributions required to be devoted to FACTOR, Musicaction or the Community Radio Fund of Canada, set out in subsection 15(5) of the Radio Regulations, 1986, the licensee shall devote 10% of its basic annual CCD contribution to FACTOR, 10% to the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the remainder to eligible initiatives related to the station’s classical music format. Parties and initiatives that fulfill the criteria for eligible initiatives are set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022. Examples of eligible initiatives as well as ineligible initiatives are provided on the Commission’s Canadian Content Development Contributions and Eligible Initiatives webpage.
4. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall devote at least 70% of all musical selections broadcast to musical selections drawn from content subcategory 31 (Concert).
5. The licensee shall devote at least 20% of all content category 3 (Special Interest Music) musical selections broadcast during the broadcast week to Canadian selections and schedule them in a reasonable manner throughout the broadcast day.
6. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall limit the amount of differentiated spoken word content broadcast to a maximum of 4 hours and 12 minutes. For the purposes of this condition, differentiated spoken word content is defined as station identifications, promotional announcements and first appearance surveillance material, such as arts billboards, community messages, public service announcements and regional information, that shall not be broadcast on CFMZ-FM Toronto during the same broadcast week.

For the purposes of these conditions of licence, “broadcast week,” “Canadian selection,” content category,” “content subcategory” and “musical selection” shall have the same meanings as those set out in the Radio Regulations, 1986.

Expectations

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.

Appendix 2 to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-74

Terms, conditions of licence and expectations for the English-language commercial specialty radio programming undertaking CFMZ-FM Toronto, Ontario

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2030.

Conditions of licence

1. 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 7, as well as to the conditions set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.
2. 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.
3. As an exception to the percentages of basic annual Canadian content development (CCD) contributions required to be devoted to FACTOR, Musicaction or the Community Radio Fund of Canada, set out in subsection 15(5) of the Radio Regulations, 1986, the licensee shall devote 10% of its basic annual CCD contribution to FACTOR, 10% to the Community Radio Fund of Canada and the remainder to eligible initiatives related to the station’s classical music format. Parties and initiatives that fulfill the criteria for eligible initiatives are set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022. Examples of eligible initiatives as well as ineligible initiatives are provided on the Commission’s Canadian Content Development Contributions and Eligible Initiatives webpage.
4. In each broadcast week, the licensee shall devote at least 70% of all musical selections broadcast to musical selections drawn from content subcategory 31 (Concert).
5. The licensee shall devote at least 20% of all content category 3 (Special Interest Music) musical selections broadcast during the broadcast week to Canadian selections and schedule them in a reasonable manner throughout the broadcast day.
6. The licensee is authorized to use subsidiary communications multiplex operation (SCMO) channels to distribute a commercial Tamil-language service and a commercial Persian-language service produced by Radio Sedaye Iran.

With respect to condition 6, the licensee is expected to adhere to the guidelines 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.

For the purposes of these conditions of licence, “broadcast week,” “Canadian selection,” content category,” “content subcategory” and “musical selection” shall have the same meanings as those set out in the Radio Regulations, 1986.

Expectations

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:

2023-03-16