GATINEAU – The definition of just what a new Canadian artist can be defined as was adopted by the CRTC today at the same time the Commission made public two studies that said those developing musicians are getting enough air time.
This took a while though as the proceeding dates back to the 2006 commercial radio policy which spawned a call for comments on an emerging artist definition in 2008.
“The Canadian radio industry is actively supporting new emerging artists, who promise to contribute to a vibrant music industry in the coming years,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, chairman of the CRTC, in a press release. “Many Canadian artists are also taking advantage of online platforms and social media to promote and distribute their music. Given these opportunities, there is no need to impose specific requirements.”
Although radio stations tend to favour hits by established artists, they are also featuring new artists on their playlists. For example, their music accounted for three out of every five Canadian songs played by contemporary hit radio stations in English-language markets and one of four Canadian songs played by their counterparts in French-language markets.
The CRTC recognizes the collaborative efforts of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, the Canadian Independent Music Association and the Association québécoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la video (ADISQ) to develop definitions of new emerging artists for both linguistic markets.
The CRTC will ask commercial radio stations, when renewing their licences, to provide information about the exposure they give to artists who meet one of the definitions.
