Broadcasting - Staff Letter addressed to Kevin Desjardins (Canadian Association of Broadcasters)
Gatineau, 18 March 2025
BY EMAIL
Kevin Desjardins
President
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
770-45 O’Connor St.
Ottawa (Ontario) K1P 1A4
kdesjardins@cab-acr.ca
Subject: Response to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ call to rescind and re-issue a notice of consultation
This letter is in response to your correspondence dated 10 March 2025 sent on behalf of the radio members of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters regarding Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2025-52 – the Path Forward – Supporting Canadian and Indigenous audio content (NoC 2025-52).
In your letter, you express your belief that NoC 2025-52 does not address the challenges facing Canadian commercial radio broadcasters, nor do you believe that it includes bold proposals to address fundamental shifts in consumer and advertising behavior. Based on your concerns, you call on the Commission to rescind NoC 2025-52 and issue a new call for comments.
As part of its broader regulatory plan to implement the modernized Broadcasting Act (the Act), the CRTC launched NoC 2025-52. The objective of this proceeding serves to review many policies and regulatory tools that support Canadian and Indigenous audio content. NoC 2025-52 is broad in scope, covering many complex and interrelated issues, including those of importance to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters and its members.
The NoC is structured such that it provides all stakeholders, whether online or traditional, commercial or non-commercial broadcasters, content creators, and diverse Canadians, with the opportunity to make submissions on areas of particular interest to them. This includes the opportunity for parties to comment on any additional issues within the jurisdiction and authority of the Commission under the Act that are related to the audio sector and that may not have been specifically covered in the NoC.
In terms of commercial radio, I would like to specifically note the following questions which provide an opportunity to make proposals:
- Q11. Should content requirements for the broadcast of Canadian and French-language musical selections be maintained for commercial radio stations? Please explain.
- Q12. Would reducing the administrative and financial burden on commercial radio stations while maintaining content requirements represent an equitable and sustainable approach to contributions? Would this approach help level the playing field? Please explain.
- Q30. Does the Commission’s preliminary view for a renewed annual financial contribution framework, which includes online and traditional audio undertakings, align with various business models found within the current broadcasting system? Please explain.
- Q31. How can the Commission ensure that traditional audio undertakings (radio stations, satellite and pay audio services,) and online audio services contribute equitably to the development and promotion of Canadian content? Should the financial contribution level be the same or different for various types of undertakings? Please explain.
All submissions will be given due consideration by the Commission as part of this proceeding. The preliminary views expressed in NoC 2025-52 are intended to stimulate discussion and no decisions have been made.
We therefore invite you and your members to share any specific comments you may have on the CRTC’s audio policies and tools in support of Canadian and Indigenous audio content as part of this proceeding. As a reminder, the deadline for the submission of interventions is 7 April 2025. Parties who file comments may file a reply to matters raised during the comment period. The deadline for the filing of replies is 22 April 2025.
Yours sincerely,
Scott Shortliffe,
Vice-President, Broadcasting
C.C.:
Doug Bingley, President, Central Ontario Broadcasting
Chris Byrnes, President, Byrnes Communications Inc
Matt Caine, President, Whiteoaks Communications Group
Scott Clements, President/Owner, Novacast Media Inc.
Dave Daigle, Vice-President, iHeart Radio, Local CTV, News, Bell Media Studios
Bell Media Inc.
Ron Dann, President, Blackburn Media Inc.
Bryan Edwards, President, Vista Radio
Paul Evanov, President & CEO, Evanov Communications Inc.
Elmer Hildebrand, Chief Executive Officer, Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.
Caroline Jamet, Présidente, Cogeco Média inc.
Steve Jones, President, Stingray Radio
John Jordan, COO, Harvard Media
Paul Kaye, Vice-President, Audio, Rogers Sports and Media
Doug Kirk, President, Durham Radio Inc.
Jean-François Leclerc, Nicolas Leclerc, Vice-présidents, Leclerc Communication
Peter McKeown, Vice President and General Manager, Bayshore Broadcasting
Bill Morton, President, Quinte Broadcasting Company Limited
Tom O'Brien, President, Arctic Radio (1982) Ltd
Chris Pearson, President, Acadia Broadcasting
Roger Ranger, Président et Chef de la Direction, RNC Media Inc.
Cord Rawlinson, President, Rawlco Radio
Bijoy Samuel, Vice-President, RED FM
Rod Schween, President, Pattison Media Ltd
Ward Smith, Senior Vice President, Corus Audio, Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ed Torres, President, Torres Media
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