SAINT JOHN – The Canadian Media Guild (CMG) is urging the CRTC to impose local and news programming conditions on the license renewals for Big John FM and CFBC in Saint John owned by Halifax-based MBS Radio.
In its submission to the Commission it writes that it has serious concerns about MBS Radio's commitment to the community of Saint John whose local radio staff have been on strike since June 25.
"As we've said from the beginning, our fight on the picket line is really about the survival of local radio, and serving the interests of our community on public airwaves," says Gary Stackhouse, president of the Guild at MBS Radio in Saint John.
After attempting for nearly a year to negotiate a first contract, members at CMG’s newest unit launched a strike at MBS Radio’s three Saint John stations Big John FM, K-100 and CFBC. The stations employ a total of seven staff and CMG claims that many of the employees earn just above minimum wage and are expected to perform unpaid overtime. It adds that there have been no cost-of-living increases for 12 years.
In her filing to the CRTC, Karen Wirsig with the Canadian Media Guild claims that MBS has not had local newsgathering resources in Saint John for approximately four years.
“That means the local programming offering has changed fundamentally since the last licence application. All of the regular “local” news and information programming aired on MBS stations is produced in a small newsroom in Halifax. There are no local reporters to cover local or provincial government, or the issues and events taking place in Saint John. As a result, MBS provides absolutely nothing to enhance the local diversity of editorial voices,” writes Wirsig.
In its submission, CMG is urging the CRTC to impose the following programming commitments on MBS Radio for its Big John FM and CFBC licenses:
- Establish newsgathering resources in Saint John
- Improve local programming to reflect the local community and enhance the diversity of editorial voices
- Improve the quality of local programming to serve the interests of the community
“Based on what we know of local airtime sales up to this summer, MBS takes more than $1 million in revenue back to Halifax each year from the Saint John stations, in part by keeping the number of local employees and their salaries low and demanding free work from employees, and in part by taking advantage of a lack of true competition for local advertising. The stations and the company should be required to do much more to improve local programming quality and service to the local community,” adds Wirsig.
