FYImusicnews's David Farrell must have seen this story as well. He provided an answer to my question in his tri-weekly Media Beat column on Monday:

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"Last week, the FCC voted to eliminate the “main studio rule” first adopted almost 80 years ago, requiring broadcasters to have a physical studio in or near the areas where they have a license to transmit TV or radio signals. According to an informed source we checked in with, the CRTC eliminated this condition years ago.

The general eligibility to hold a licence here is that the CEO has to be Canadian, 80% of the board has to be Canadian, and 80% of the outstanding voting shares have to be held by Canadians. There's a lesser threshold for holding companies. That's the only requirement to hold a broadcast licence. You don't have to have a studio/office in the community which you serve, although, practically speaking, almost all stations do, certainly the ones in the larger markets.

These are the rules for general eligibility to hold a licence; individual licences may have their own requirements as well."

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I must say some of that surprises me. I thought the CRTC would have forced owners to have an actual physical presence in the area they're licenced to serve, Most do, of course, but the fact they technically don't have to is something I wasn't expecting. 

@darcyh "I can receive three 'My FM' stations. These stations originate from Exeter, Strathroy, and St. Thomas. Every time I have tuned to them they are all playing the same song. This suggests they are networked / linked with slots for local commercials. I have never heard a live time / temperature check."

They can use the same music library and feed.  Individual VTs and commercials are dropped into each market from a distant studio.  As long as the station provides unique local content to each, the Commission doesn't care.  It gets worse... FM stations are usually only required to carry 42 hours per week of that kind of local content.  cheap radio indeed.

And i think CHSC was blasted because their studio was in Buffalo or something.

Last edited by splunge (October 30, 2017 1:34 pm)

Sry, I was thinking of CJRN/CKEY Fort Erie.
 

CHSC - aka "Radio Uno" Woodbridge was also way over its limit of 15% (approx. 19 hours a week) of ethnic programming. I seem to recall when his license was revoked, that he claimed Italian music wasn't "ethnic" because everyone loves Italian music.  He also claimed that a flood destroyed financial records and that was why he didn't file financial info - for many years - and even when a demand was made....by the CRTC.   They don't believe in floods, unless the streets are flooded in Gatineau QC.
The regulation for the ability to solicit and broadcast local adverts is 42 hours a week of "local programming".  The question that the CRTC avoids is the extent to which VT's that are "played back" from servers at the station's "local" studio, count or don't count towards the 42 hours.
That's in the Commercial Radio Policy - last updated in 2014.  See paragraph 92: (broadcast week is 126 hours so 1/3 is 42 hours)
[list=1]
[*]Commercial FM stations in competitive markets must refrain from soliciting or accepting local advertising for broadcast during any broadcast week when less than one-third of the programming aired is local. This serves to ensure that such stations provide a strong service to their communities. Some stations are otherwise restricted in the type of advertising that they may broadcast.
[/list]


 Some broadcasters don't even have servers on-site to play back in the community of licence.   Assume jewel 88.5 will claim a studio in Newmarket where programming is played back.  Their website suggests otherwise under their "contact us" link.

88.5 The Jewel CKDX-FM
5312 Dundas Street West
Toronto, Ontario

@tvguy.  i think your interpretation of the reg is too narrow.  as long as the VTs are 'separate and distinct' ie. tracked only for that specific station... it counts toward the 42 hours.  it matters not where the VT originates.

CIDC Orangeville also originates from those Dundas st studios.  optics aside it fits with the reg as long as they give orangeville weather and a community calendar.

@geo... yes optics aside, the CRtc doesn't care.  BUT, optics included, advertisers and listeners DO care.  you seem vitriolic about a specific market.  care to share?

It is not my intent to get into a debate... i'm simply passing on the gov't regs as i know them

Last edited by splunge (October 30, 2017 9:15 pm)