We’ve probably all heard one of those Canadian Broadcast Standards announcements admitting to some perceived wrong done by a local radio station. But I can’t quite remember the last time a “we did it and we’re sorry” admission was ordered by the CRTC itself.
 
This story also brings up the question: just how many chances does one place get before the Commission says ‘your licence is gone?’
 
It all started way back in 2005, when a Rimouski, Quebec community outlet called CKMN-FM got into trouble with the feds for being in non-compliance with regulations. In that case, they failed to keep proper music lists. As punishment, the CRTC gave them a short term four year licence renewal.
 
You’d think that might have taught them a lesson.
 
It didn’t.
 
Flash forward to 2011 and the CRTC calls the same place on the carpet, this time for failing to file their annual returns. Again, they got away with a shorter-than-normal licence renewal.
 
But it didn’t end there. Speed ahead to 2015, and in the words of Britney Spears, Oops, they did it again. Once more, the Commission found they hadn’t followed the rules. Strike three? Nope. For some reason, the Solons in Hull decided to extend their licence term yet again, this time for just three years to see if they could get their act together.
 
Which brings us to 2018. Finally, finally, after more than a decade of complete incompetence or recalcitrance, the CRTC called a hearing to ask why their licence shouldn’t be pulled.
 
CKMN management admitted their problems, assured the commissioners they’d retrained staff and bought new tracking software and promised they’d fixed everything. So even though the CRTC called the non-compliance issues “serious” and noted it had gone on for “a fourth consecutive term,” they renewed their licence yet again on Friday – this time for just two years.
 
But this one comes with a catch. The station must air the following announcement once a day between 6-10 AM or 4-6 PM for five days in a row, although it will presumably be in French:
 
“Radio frequencies are a limited public resource. Holding a broadcasting licence is a privilege, and broadcasters are required to abide by a number of regulations and conditions of licence in order to operate a radio station. In Broadcasting Decision 2018-468, the CRTC determined that this station was in non-compliance with the Radio Regulations, 1986 and Broadcasting Order 2015-347 imposed at last licence renewal. The instances of non-compliance occurred during the 2015-2016 broadcast year and are a recurring issue. CKMN-FM has put measures in place to ensure that these non-compliances do not recur.”
 
That’s quite a mouthful and a tune-out to all but us radio geeks.
 
Still, I can’t recall another occasion when the CRTC itself has ordered such a statement be read on air. And I can’t remember any station in Canada ever getting so many chances.
 
Stay tuned. CKMN will be back before their overlords in 2020. And if they blow it again, I can’t see the Commission letting them get away with it for a fifth time. Although you have to wonder how this has been allowed to go on for so long.
 
CRTC Decision & Broadcast Order For CKMN