OTTAWA–GATINEAU – The CRTC has revoked the broadcasting licences of Aboriginal Voices Radio (AVR), which operates stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa under radio call sign CKAV.
The Commission said Thursday that not only did AVR fail to fulfil its commitments and mandate to reflect the distinctive place of the Aboriginal community in Canadian society, it was also found in non-compliance during each of the four times it appeared before the CRTC to renew its licences over the past 15 years.
Noting that the Ottawa station has not broadcast anything since fall 2014, AVR was also not providing the local programming or news required and relevant to the Aboriginal communities in its other four urban markets, the CRTC continued.
During a show cause hearing at the Commission last May, AVR failed to demonstrate its ability to rectify or resolve its numerous instances of non-compliance, and could not commit to re-establishing the compliance of its stations before the end of the current licence term on August 31, 2015.
AVR has been ordered to cease broadcasting by July 25, 2015, and the CRTC said that it will issue a call for applications for the FM frequencies that will become available as a result of this decision, with priority given to proposals for services that will serve Aboriginal communities.
“Having a broadcasting licence in Canada is a privilege, and having a mandate to serve Aboriginal communities is particularly significant”, said CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais, in a statement. “The CRTC notes with regret that AVR has been in non-compliance since its beginning, and has not fulfilled its commitments or the specific mandate given to it. AVR let its listeners down by failing to inform them on issues important to them. We find ourselves in an unfortunate situation where licence revocation is not only necessary; it is the only option.”
