From morag.york@crtc.gc.ca Sun Aug 9 11:49:19 1998 Date: Tue, 04 Aug 1998 18:04:22 -0400 From: "York, Morag" To: 'john muir' Subject: RE: Campus radio review > Hi John, > I wanted to get back to you regarding the campus radio > consultations. I've just drafted a letter that will be going out > to all licensed campus stations that didn't attend the NCRA > conference in Victoria, inviting them to participate in the > informal consultation phase of the CRTC's review of campus > radio. The letter (which I'm attaching to this email as a plain > text file - please let me know if you have any trouble opening > it) explains the purpose of the consultation and all the other > steps in the review process. If you have a look at that, I > think it will help you understand the kind of input we're > looking for at this stage of the process. You can also take a > look at the transcript of the discussion in Victoria (on our web > site - details in the letter) to see the kind of issues that > have already been noted. > Normally I'd have no problem meeting you informally if you came > to Ottawa. But because we have this review underway, there are > concerns about the fairness and transparency of the process. > Meeting privately with one party while we have a public process > going on might make us look a little biased. So I'd rather we > waited till after the review is over to do that. > In the meantime, please feel free to get back to me by email, > fax, phone (if you don't mind me summarizing our conversation > for the public file) or regular mail with your informal comments > after reading the attached letter (the hard copy should arrive > by mail in a few days). > Yes, by the way, I am Fiona's sister! > Looking forward to your input, > Morag [Part 2, Text/PLAIN 144 lines] > 4 August, 1998 > Mr. John K. Muir > Station Manager > Trent Radio > c/o Trent University > c/o Lady Eaton College > Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 > Dear Mr. Muir: > As you may know, the Commission announced in Public Notice 1997- > 105, dated August 1, 1997, An Agenda for Reviewing the > Commission's Policies for Radio, that it would review its > policies regarding campus radio stations. In order to identify > issues that should be raised in the review, the Commission > indicated that it would begin a consultative process this year. > As part of this process, Commission staff and Commissioner Joan > Pennefather met with campus radio delegates at the National > Campus and Community Radio Conference (NCRC) held in Victoria > this past June. We were pleased to have the opportunity to meet > with many campus radio broadcasters and to engage in a very > thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion about the issues facing > campus radio broadcasters today. > I'm enclosing a brief list of issues raised during that > discussion. A complete transcript of the discussion is now > available at all of the Commission's regional offices, at the > main office in Hull (file #5400-21-X/98, Public Consultation, > Victoria, BC), and on the Commission's web site (www.crtc.gc.ca > and follow the links to Broadcasting, Proceedings, Transcript of > Proceedings, 1998, Campus Radio Review Discussion - 12 June > 1998). This transcript forms part of the public record of the > campus radio review proceeding. > We are aware that some campus radio stations did not participate > in this consultation as they were unable to attend the NCRC in > Victoria. In order to provide all members of the campus radio > sector with the opportunity to participate in the consultative > phase of the proceeding, we are now inviting all licensed > stations that did not attend the conference to provide their > comments on the issues discussed at the earlier consultation, or > on any other issue they may wish to raise. > I'd like to emphasize that this informal consultation process is > only the first of several phases of the Commission's overall > public process to review its campus radio policies. > Later on this summer, the Commission will host a cross-sectoral > meeting at which representatives of the National Campus and > Community Radio Association, the Canadian Association of > Broadcasters, the CBC and the French-language community radio > sector will be invited to participate. Transcripts of this > meeting will be added to the public file as soon as they are > available. > Following this meeting, the Commission will release a public > notice formally calling for comments on suggestions and > proposals arising from these consultations. We encourage all > interested parties to provide written comments during the formal > phase of the proceeding. All of these comments will be taken > into consideration when the Commission finalizes its revised > policy. > Please bear in mind that the purpose of the consultative process > is not to resolve issues or to debate the merits of specific > changes to the existing campus radio policy (set out in Public > Notice 1992-38). Rather, it is intended to provide an > opportunity for interested parties to identify issues and > propose possible options for dealing with them, with a view to > focusing the discussion and ensuring that there is a clear > understanding of the environment in which campus stations > operate and the challenges they face. In other words, the > informal consultation is primarily intended to ensure that the > call for comments will be relevant and comprehensive. > During this consultation phase, you are invited to provide > written comments by mail (addressed to Morag York, CRTC, Ottawa, > ON K1A 0N2), email (morag.york@crtc.gc.ca) or fax (819-997- > 9393). Please bear in mind that these comments will be added to > the public file and will form part of the public record of this > proceeding. If circumstances warrant, you may also provide > comments by telephone (Morag York at 819-997-4389); any comments > received by telephone will be summarized and added to the public > record. > We look forward to your input during all phases of the > Commission's review of its campus radio policies. > Yours sincerely, > Martine Vallee > Director > Discretionary Services and Social Policy > Broadcasting Directorate > Issues Raised at the Consultation > Held at the National Campus and Community Radio Conference > Victoria, June 12, 1998 > - regulations respecting political broadcasts > - policy regarding balance in programming > - mandate of campus radio stations > - complaints and the licence renewal process > - regulatory relief for new low-power stations > - requirements regarding boards of directors > - funding for campus radio stations > - limitations on advertising and on unrestricted advertising > - use of Canadian talent development funds > - Commission accessibility - availability of staff and assistance, up-to-date documents and information, use of clear language > - digital radio > - Canadian content - applicability to campus radio, appropriate levels, distribution requirements, definition > - ethnic programming > - programming and music categories > - rules regarding hits > - relationship between campus radio and other sectors of the radio industry > - situation of campus radio stations in small markets > - environment for cable-only campus radio stations > - wording on campus radio licences