OTTAWA – The CRTC is calling for comments on amendments to exemption orders for various types of radio programming undertakings.
The Commission said Wednesday that the proposed amendments relate to registering certain such undertakings with the CRTC prior to their launch, and to the eligibility to operate under certain exemption orders for persons found to have been carrying on a broadcasting undertaking in whole or in part in Canada without a licence or without authorization pursuant to an exemption.
Citing last week’s crack down on three Vancouver-area radio broadcasters, the Commission said that it is concerned that some broadcasters may seek to use an exemption order to circumvent the licensing process and launch radio programming undertakings that would otherwise require a licence, which could have a negative impact on licensed services. This concern relates in particular to the exemption order for low-power tourist information related radio programming undertakings, from which the prohibition on advertising was recently deleted.
Comments are due before November 25, 2016.
