OTTAWA – The CRTC has updated a number of aspects of its commercial radio policy in an effort to ensure that its approach is simple, effective and measurable.
The Commission said Tuesday that these radio policy updates will allow commercial radio to achieve the objectives of the Broadcasting Act and, ultimately, to better serve Canadians. In spite of relative stability, both financially and in terms of tuning, since the last policy review in 2006, the CRTC said that the commercial radio sector would nevertheless benefit from an update of certain regulatory and policy elements.
The changes include:
– A revised approach to calls for radio applications that will ensure that new radio stations are introduced in a transparent and efficient manner and do not compromise the ability of existing radio stations to serve their communities. The new approach will provide Canadians with an opportunity to express their views on introducing new radio services prior to a call being issued.
– A new process for low-power radio stations that will safeguard the integrity of the Commission’s licensing process and ensure that low-power stations provide the service that they proposed in their applications. When licensees of low-power radio stations wish to increase the power of their stations to protected status, or to change conditions of licence related to their programming that fundamentally change the nature of the service they provide, they will have to apply for new licences.
– A flexible approach to introducing HD Radio technology in Canada that allows for innovation and experimentation. HD Radio technology permits a radio station to broadcast multiple digital audio signals in addition to the station’s main signal and has the potential to increase the diversity of radio services that Canadians receive.
– New mechanisms to encourage radio stations to remain in compliance with their regulatory obligations and thus provide a high quality radio service to Canadians.
