Opening remarks for the public hearing on the renewal of broadcasting licences for certain non-compliant radio station licensees

Gatineau (Quebec)
June 19, 2018

Caroline Simard, Vice-President of Broadcasting
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Check against delivery

Hello and welcome to this public hearing. Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered here on traditional First Nations territory. I would like to thank the Algonquin people and pay respect to their elders.

At this hearing, we will examine the licence renewal applications of four radio stations. These stations are in potentially serious situations of non-compliance and, in certain cases, in persistent arrears with regard to the Radio Regulations, 1986, concerning certain licence conditions or prescriptions during the current licence term.

The licensees will have to demonstrate why their licence should be renewed and not suspended, revoked or renewed for a shorter term or with the imposition of a mandatory order.

To this end, the licensees must explain to us the measures that they have taken to resolve the non-compliance, justify the renewal of their licence and discuss the appropriate measures to be imposed.

Questions to be reviewed

The panel will begin this hearing by reviewing the request made by La radio communautaire du comté to renew the licence of CKMN-FM de Rimouski and Mont-Joli in Quebec. It seems that the licensee is non-compliant for the fourth licence period in a row. Also, the CRTC is concerned about the submission of annual reports for the 2015–2016 broadcast year, the submission of complete and accurate radio monitoring material for a given period and the requirement to submit all relevant information upon the request of the Commission.

The panel will then review the licence renewal application by Wired World Inc., which operates in Kitchener in Ontario. The licensee is in a situation of potential non-compliance for the third consecutive licence term. For the current period of licence, it seems that Wired World Inc. did not submit its annual reports for the past two years nor did it follow the regulations concerning the implementation of the National Public Alerting System. It also seems that CKWR-FM did not adhere to the regulations regarding Canadian music during the periods intended for ethnic shows for a given period.

The panel will then continue with the application by Chimnissing Communications, which operates out of Christian Island in Ontario. It seems that the station is non-compliant for the second consecutive licence term. For the current period of licence, it seems that CKUN-FM did not adhere to certain requirements of the regulations concerning the submission of annual reports for the past two years, the submission of complete and accurate radio monitoring material for a given period and the implementation of the National Public Alerting System.

Finally, we will review the application submitted by Radio communautaire Intergénération Jardin du Québec to renew the licence for CHOC-FM, which operates out of Saint-Rémi in Quebec. This is the second consecutive licence period during which this station did not adhere to its regulatory requirements. The CRTC is concerned with the capacity and commitment of the licensee to operate the station in compliance. According to the facts, it seems that the radio broadcaster did not support its annual reports for three years, its complete and accurate radio monitoring material and all relevant information upon request by the Commission.

Given the severity and frequency of these occurrences of non-compliance, the CRTC called La radio communautaire du comté, Wired World Inc., Chimnissing Communications and Radio communautaire Intergénération Jardin du Québec to appear at this public hearing.

The CRTC would like to remind them that having a broadcasting licence is a privilege. This hearing will help assess whether the licensees should continue to benefit from this privilege.

Procedure

Before we begin, I would like to make a few introductions.

The hearing committee is made up of the following people:

• Linda Vennard, Regional Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories;
• Monique Lafontaine, Regional Commissioner for Ontario; and
• myself, Caroline Simard, Vice-Chair of Broadcasting at the CRTC. I will preside over this hearing.

The Commission team assisting us includes:

• John Fernandez, Hearing Manager;
• Barbara Cuber, Legal Counsel; and
• Lynda Roy, Hearing Secretary.

I would now like to invite Ms. Roy to explain the procedure we will be following.

Madam Secretary…

Contacts

Media Relations
(819) 997-9403

General Inquiries
(819) 997-0313
Toll-free: 1 (877) 249-CRTC (2782)
TTY: (819) 994-0423
Ask a question or make a complaint

Stay Connected
Follow us on Twitter @CRTCeng
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/crtceng