The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / 24 Radio Groups Plead With CRTC For Changes To CanCon & Other Rules

**Posted by RadioActive** March 11, 2025 2:48 pm

The CRTC has been undertaking a redesign of CanCon and other rules governing radio and broadcasting, with the hope of "modernizing" the industry in a quickly changing technological world. But now the Cdn. Assn. of Broadcasters has written an open letter to the solons in Hull pleading for reconsideration, arguing their apparent proposed changes could put them at a big disadvantage.

Among the complaints: new Canadian content rules that might force them to play more Indigenous artists and new edicts surrounding news obligations. They say they're already suffering in a declining industry and any "modernization" changes that have been proposed won't help - and could hurt - existing stations, which are already in a financial bind competing with streaming services.

“Rather than bold proposals to address the fundamental shifts in consumer and advertising behaviour fostered by online streaming services, the Commission’s preliminary views effectively affirm a regulatory status quo, proposing to maintain – and even increase – competitively disadvantageous obligations for Canadian commercial radio operators," the letter reads.

Among those signing the document: Rogers, Corus, Bell, Durham Radio, Evanov, Whiteoaks, Rawlco, Bayshore and a lot more.

It's rare so many broadcasters all gather together to make a point to the federal regulator. Will the CRTC hear these pleas or reject them as just more of the same complaints from veterans unwilling to change with the times? That has yet to be seen.

CAB members ask CRTC to start over on radio and audio consultation

**Posted by torontostan** March 12, 2025 1:18 pm

Hard to argue with this........

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** March 12, 2025 5:14 pm

The one about indiginis content, I agree with.
How do you know if a group or artist is indiginis?
But, I think there should be a rule for stations to play local or lesser known/unknown artists that have not been played on the radio yet.
Older artists should also count in this rule.

**Posted by RadioActive** March 12, 2025 5:43 pm

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
I think there should be a rule for stations to play local or lesser known/unknown artists that have not been played on the radio yet.

Could not disagree more. The CRTC has absolutely no business regulating what kind of music or artist should be played on any radio station. Ordering that obscure, up and coming or unknown artists get airtime would be disastrous. That is not their job nor should it ever be.

And what would oldies stations do with such a rule?

The CRTC Commissioners are not programmers and they have already taken enough liberties with their content rules. No way should they ever be allowed to mandate more.

**Posted by RadioActive** March 12, 2025 7:22 pm

I think you may have to cut SBluffs a bit of a break. He's visually impaired and can't see. I'm not sure what he's using to type on his computer but it may be a reason why his spelling is so bad.

**Posted by torontostan** March 12, 2025 9:53 pm

My apologies

**Posted by paterson1** March 12, 2025 11:32 pm

A couple of things. Nobody was "pleading" anything. It was a "request" or an ask of the CRTC. RA likes to amp up the headlines for some reason.

The CAB hasn't had a very good record of bending the CRTC's ear. This was the same group that was saying that hundreds of radio stations would go dark within months during COVID. Yes some have in the last couple of years but nothing like the domesday prediction they were saying.

Yes, I agree cancon and regulations could/should be streamlined and changed. But the regs and cancon aren't really the problem with radio. The real problem seems to be not knowing how to handle the new media competition and doing less and less for listeners and advertisers. You could have 0% cancon and it would make no difference to ratings or to revenues. Besides now is not really the time to be talking about less promotion of things Canadian.

And of course generally the ownership of so many stations by conglomerates, Bell in particular hasn't really worked well overall. Too much of a fixation on dwindling national sales and not enough on local advertisers.

Why is radio in the US in just as bad shape, even worse than here? They have different regs than we do and no cancon, so what is their excuse. Oddly many of the same reasons as here.

Doing less for the audience and not connecting with them... less local means less audience and revenue. Large conglomerates owning too many stations, and then flipping them to automation or network programming all day and night. The US also has a few other issues that we don't have like political polarization of broadcasting and the impact of religious and faith broadcasters.

**Posted by RadioActive** March 13, 2025 10:08 am

Here is radio veteran Alan Cross' take on this story.

Canadian radio wants the CRTC to “start over on radio regulations”

**Posted by Jacjames** March 13, 2025 10:45 am

Time is up....pull the plug and get rid of the CRTC. In todays time " what is playing on radio " is the least important thing in the lives of listeners.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** March 13, 2025 2:07 pm

Also, The Crtc neads to have a stricter rule about local programming.
The host has to work in the licenced stations city and studeos have to be located in that city, It should be all local between 6 am to 6 pm on weakdays.
Programs should be live, not taped.

**Posted by torontostan** March 13, 2025 5:35 pm

It's justified to suggest that markets with a minimum population or minimum number of commercial stations should have to have a local studio presence and hosts........ but they would have to offer the stations an incentive for doing so (lower cancon, tangible benefits, or similar). They're all cash scrapped, and I remind you that the crtc has access to the financial data for each station..... they should know how bad things are. Forcing stations to play indigenous music would be throwing a match on the dry paper of radio....

**Posted by RadioAaron** March 13, 2025 6:41 pm

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:
Also, The Crtc neads to have a stricter rule about local programming.
The host has to work in the licenced stations city and studeos have to be located in that city, It should be all local between 6 am to 6 pm on weakdays.
Programs should be live, not taped.

That’s the fastest way to shut down most small market stations.

**Posted by RadioActive** March 19, 2025 3:02 pm

And not surprisingly, the answer is "no."

CRTC turns down CAB request to start over on radio and audio consultation

**Posted by martyb** March 19, 2025 7:11 pm

RadioActive wrote:
And not surprisingly, the answer is "no."

CRTC turns down CAB request to start over on radio and audio consultation

Not until more broadcasters take it upon themselves to challenge the rules, or fight in court heh

**Posted by BowmanvilleBob** March 19, 2025 7:56 pm

RadioActive wrote:
And not surprisingly, the answer is "no."

CRTC turns down CAB request to start over on radio and audio consultation

Doesn't seem to be "no" as much as "hold your horses, you'll have your chance when the consultation period begins".

**Posted by RadioActive** March 24, 2025 11:11 am

Well, they almost got their wish. The consultations are off while the elections are on.

The CRTC has announced it's postponing its public hearings about the changes to a date yet to be announced. The date for intervention submissions had been April 7th. With the voting date called for April 28th, all parties concerned won't have to worry about this now until at least May - or later.