Policy 1.1.35: Community Radio Access in Southern Canada

Effective: May 23, 1995

PREAMBLE

The CBC/Radio-Canada recognizes the need for community radio access in southern Canada in those isolated communities where the CBC/Radio-Canada is unable to provide a full service and where no other relevant local media exist.

POLICY 1

The CBC/Radio-Canada is prepared to provide local access to its low-power relay transmitters in southern Canada on condition that:

  1. there be no official commitment of CBC/Radio-Canada resources to the project;
  2. the CRTC cooperate in the undertaking;
  3. programming be in one of Canada’s two official languages, with English programming restricted to English transmitters and French programming to French transmitters;
  4. advertising in any form, whether spot ads or sponsorships, not be included in access programming;
  5. the amount of local access be limited, recognizing the CBC/Radio-Canada’s primary mandate to provide national and regional programming to all Canadians.

The conditions for the establishment of a community radio society are that:

  1. the community request the project and demonstrate its willingness and capacity to carry it out;
  2. the community organize and incorporate a nonprofit radio society independent of other bodies (such as local government, service clubs, political parties, etc.) to carry out the project;
  3. the community radio society be democratically organized and controlled (i.e. the by-laws of the organization should guarantee that membership and the holding of office is open to all citizens of responsible age in the community to be served).

In its formal contract with the CBC/Radio-Canada, the community radio society will agree to:

  1. produce programs on matters of local interest and concern to be broadcast on local CBC/Radio-Canada transmitters, at times agreed upon by the CBC/Radio-Canada;
  2. recruit and organize volunteers to install and maintain the society’s equipment, operate the studio and prepare programs;
  3. keep logger tapes of its programs for thirty-one days as required by the CRTC, supply the CBC/Radio-Canada with copies of those tapes as requested, and participate in formal program evaluations with CBC/Radio-Canada regional management;
  4. adhere to all CBC/Radio-Canada Program Policies, Journalistic Standards and Practices and CRTC regulations, and ensure that its programs meet the requirements of the law;
  5. maintain technical standards acceptable to the CBC/Radio-Canada;
  6. obtain and maintain a broadcaster’s liability insurance policy naming the CBC and the society as joint insured parties to an amount acceptable to the CBC/Radio-Canada;

and the CBC/Radio-Canada will:

  1. allow the community radio society to use CBC/Radio-Canada transmitting facilities at agreed periods during the broadcasting day;
  2. provide, as far as time and resources permit, information, assistance and training in programming and organizational matters.

RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility for coordinating requests for community radio access in southern Canada, and for implementing them rests with the appropriate media vice-president, subject to the approval of the Senior Vice-President, Media.

Secretariat
Ottawa, May 23, 1995

1. Formerly designated Corporate Policy No. 22

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