I believe it is true.  That's why on YES TV the Catholic and United Churches have programs.  I believe they have or had a show from other faiths like Islam and Judaism.  When faith groups have applied for a broadcast service, they would be aware of the requirement.  I don't think the percent is huge but the license holder is required to sell time for other faiths, which they would purchase. 

Actually it is a good regulation since it prevents 24 hour shouty, charismatic and never ending fundraising for certain "news/entertainment" types of religious programming.  This style of programming could be the base of the license, but other faiths and programming also must be included in the broadcast day. 

David Mainse would talk about this sometimes on Huntley Street, along with the mainstream programming that was on Vision TV and now YES TV.   

Here's a link to some explanatory information regarding the religious broadcasting policy.  Paterson is correct.  There are a number of stations that are "Christian" but the CRTC requires the ownership to adhere to a so-called "balance" policy.   I believe that CJYE may have some programs, (buried?) in their schedule from other faiths.   There is no definition of what level of content the "balance" must be.  But in my experience program directors have pretty much ducked the balance requirement of exposing other religions by having occasional interviews with people from other faith communities.  That in no way counter-balances all of the Christian paid talk programs...but unless the CRTC or the CBSC receives a complaint about tele-evangelicals  attacking another religion, things carry on.  I was once at a hearing in Calgary where the applicant for a Christian station was asked about balance in religious programming.   The guy (not with the company any more) answered the equivalent of "hell no".  Needless to say, they did not get the licence.   On the second go round, a scripted answer was read into the record, and they got the licence.  https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1993/pb93-78.htm


 

RadioActive wrote:

Pretty interesting. Have to admit I never really thought about it before, but I suppose the policy makes sense. 

Bookmark this page. It may be the only time I agree with a CRTC policy!

Curious ... which Christian radio stations in Canada actually have Jewish, Islamic or other non-Christian programming?
 

I guess Touch Canada Broadcasting in Alberta didn’t get this memo. Nowhere on their schedules for the Shine FM or The Light networks there have any non-Christian programming.

RadioAaron wrote:

The "balance" portion of the regulations doesn't even say anything about programming for other religions. It talks about different opinions of points of view. There are no specifics and no quotas.a) BalanceGenerally speaking, a broadcaster who fulfils the following criteria should satisfy the balance requirement:

• Broadcasters must deal with matters of public concern in their programming and do so in a balanced fashion. Not all programming need be balanced, only that relating to matters of public concern. The Commission considers religious matters to be of public concern.
• Broadcasters should, in the first instance, determine for themselves when an issue is important enough to merit full discussion presenting a wide range of opinions, in what manner the differing views should be presented, and who should present them.
• In general, a broadcaster need not provide balance in each program or series of programs, but rather in the overall programming offered by the undertaking, over a reasonable period of time.
• To attain balance, a broadcaster need not necessarily give equal time to each point of view. Rather, the Commission expects that a variety of points of view will be made available in the programming offered by the undertaking to a reasonably consistent viewer or listener, over a reasonable period of time.

In Public Notice CRTC 1988-161 dated 29 September 1988 and entitled "Balance in Programming on Community Access Media", the Commission noted a number of mechanisms that would assist licensees in achieving balance. Among these were the scheduling of periods for viewer or listener reactions, providing access to complainants, searching out alternative points of view, and producing or acquiring programming to satisfy the balance requirement.Applicants seeking licences to carry on new radio or television undertakings to provide religious programming should be prepared to demonstrate to the Commission how they intend to ensure balance.

Thanks, RadioAaron. That's somewhat my general understanding, but I wasn't absolutely certain, and your precision here is appreciated.
So how might this apply to a tangible situation? Gender and sexuality are hot-spots at the moment. So, let's say a preacher talks about sin and includes homosexuality or trans and passes some kind of judgement that they're wrong or sinful or not natural, or what have you, or expresses a view about pronouns, or prefernce for a particular political cause or philosophy. How would CRTC policy apply once comments are made on what might be paid programming? Or if a station announcer or host makes some kind of comment which might prove contentious in broader society?
 

Last edited by Saul (July 23, 2025 1:12 pm)

Saul wrote:

Thanks, RadioAaron. That's somewhat my general understanding, but I wasn't absolutely certain, and your precision here is appreciated.
So how might this apply to a tangible situation? Gender and sexuality are hot-spots at the moment. So, let's say a preacher talks about sin and includes homosexuality or trans and passes some kind of judgement that they're wrong or sinful or not natural, or what have you, or expresses a view about pronouns, or prefernce for a particular political cause or philosophy. How would CRTC policy apply once comments are made on what might be paid programming? Or if a station announcer or host makes some kind of comment which might prove contentious in broader society?
 

A few years ago Charles McVety was censured by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council over statements about homosexuality he made on his CTS show. I believe Vision has to cancel a few American evangelists over the years for similar reasons.

The late CKSL in London aired Radio Maria nightly for years, at 8pm. They actually broke their oldies format to air it; oldies music aired until 7:30, then they had a Christian show called “Walk in the Word” at 7:30 followed by Radio Maria. I believe it aired until midnight.

i haven't had my SDR set up in a wile but i thought radio maria was on 100.7 subcarrier 67mhz. they sell subcarrier radios, usually to seniors i even found one at value village a few months back!