1 of 1- RadioActive
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Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
On Friday, the CRTC announced it would be holding new consultations to ensure Indigenous voices are getting an equal shot in broadcasting, noting many stations owned by those in that community are seriously struggling.
There are several items it may be considering as the Commission ponders how to be more inclusive, but one of them caught my eye and I can only wonder if the CRTC would go there.
Some have suggested a mandatory amount of Indigenous content requirement on radio would be helpful.
According to a story on Cabin Radio:
"In the opening 2019-20 sessions, the CRTC says it was told that many Indigenous radio stations face “revenue challenges,” equipment breakdowns are frequent, and content creators want mainstream help to reach a larger audience.
“Mandatory requirements to broadcast a guaranteed percentage of Indigenous content, created by and for Indigenous people, would be preferable to incentives or ‘encouragements,'” the CRTC said it had heard."
Could the CRTC actually be considering such a thing? We all know the reaction when the CanCon rules came into effect, with stations complaining there wasn't enough material to support such an order. I would imagine there are even fewer offerings of Indigenous music around today, although any regulation would almost certainly lead to more being created if forced airplay was made mandatory.
Does anyone think this would fly with the industry as it stands today? Is it even a feasible request? And if they did do it, what percentage of airplay would be fair?
That's not to say the CRTC would go for it, but they did once before and history has a tendency to repeat itself. Comments from the public and interested parties are due by July 22nd.
Launching new team, CRTC promises better Indigenous support
CRTC Announcement
- ig
- Iain Grant
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
Before terrestrial stations are asked to pay up, a serious accounting of where the current funds end up and how they are distributed and spent may be in order.
Certainly not in every case, and probably not in the majority, but from my experience, precious little 'funding' actually made it's way to the radio stations after all the.. ahem.. 'taxing' and 'salaries' that were involved as soon as the government freed up the money.
Unfortunately, not an enquiry any level of government is willing to go within 100 miles of. It's a lot easier to write endless cheques, wring hands at the failure of the funding to make a difference, then write a bigger cheque next year and blame everyone except the system in front of their noses. Meanwhile, the people who could benefit from the service and participate in it are left with nothing more than an automated jukebox.
As I said, certainly not the majority, but enough to taint the well.
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
- mace
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
Certainly a reason for me not to listen to Canadian music radio stations.
- ig
- Iain Grant
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
mace wrote:
Certainly a reason for me not to listen to Canadian music radio stations.
Honestly, when I was with AVR, I was tasked with a 22% indigenous quota, and there is some awesome stuff out there. It doesn't have to be a 'quota filler.' Depending on the overall format, it can honestly complement the selection.
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
- RadioActive
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
OK, but what if you're 92.9 The Grand, playing oldies? After Redbone's "Come and Get Your Love" and maybe "Indian Cowboy" by Buffy Ste. Marie (does she still count as Indigenous these days after the CBC story on her?) what else can you play to meet a quota? That's where the problem lies.
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Thread Starter- paterson1
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
So far it seems to be that the CRTC is encouraging broadcasters to give indeginous artists some airplay. It would be a mistake to have a separate quota for this. It is all cancon.
Canadian broadcasters still don't go out of their way to expose domestic artists that much, other than artists who have broken through internationally. Much of this material doesn't qualify as cancon.
Nice to see Charlotte Cardin do well last night at the JUNO Awards and that she is getting airplay on commercial radio. CBC Music actually introduced her music years ago. Maybe now Toronto's The Beaches will get better and more exposure on top 40 and CHR stations after their award. They have been popular on college radio here and in the US and some streamers for a while now. Even music/programming guru Sean Ross has singled out this band from time to time.
- Tomas Barlow
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
“The CBC story on her.”
You mean the fact that she isn’t indigenous, as verified by her immediate family and her birth certificate?
I know, elderly people don’t want anything to change ever but come on.
- RadioAaron
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Maybe now Toronto's The Beaches will get better and more exposure on top 40 and CHR stations after their award.
They're #31 on Canadian CHR and #39 on American CHR.
- paterson1
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Re: Could The CRTC Add A New CanCon-Like Rule For Radio Stations?
Getting CHR airplay in Canada? Took long enough. Guess stations here got on the case after The Beaches started getting US airplay? Sad.