OTTAWA-GATINEAU – The CRTC has agreed for the first time to allowed limited advertising on CBC’s Radio 2 and Espace Musique networks.
The Commission allowed the change as part of its decision, released this morning, to renew CBC’s English- and French-language television and radio licenses until August 31, 2018.
The CRTC says it will allow the radio networks to include up to four minutes of advertising per broadcast hour within a maximum of two blocks. The CBC will also have to submit a new application at the end of the three-year period and show that the advertising has not adversely affected its programming or its competitors in order to continue to include ads on the radio networks.
The Commission said it supports the Corp’s five-year strategic plan which focuses on a balance of national and regional programming, and also outlines CBC’s digital platform strategy.
As part of the conditions of license, it requires CBC to broadcast at least nine hours a week of national interest programming during prime time on English-language television, and seven hours for the same programming on French-language TV. CBC must also provide 15 hours of children’s programming per week in both English and French.
The CBC must also include a balance of news and independently produced programming that reflects the diversity of Canadians living in official language minority communities (OLMCs), the Commission said.
Today’s decision follows a review of the CBC’s five-year strategic plan, as well as a public hearing in November, with a review by the Commission of more than 8,000 interventions.
Cartt.ca will have more in-depth coverage of today's CRTC decision soon.
