Succession Planning for Stations

Copyright Resources

In December of 2016, the NCRA/ANREC released version 1.0 of the Copyright Handbook for your use. Please find the pdf version below with all sorts of very interesting and information about copyright, tariffs and radio stations.

 NCRA Copyright Handbook Version 1.0 (PDF, Right Click Save As)

For a chart of copyright that applies to C/C stations, Click here (Updated August 2016)

More Resources

If your interested in some other things that Can Not be copyrighted, have a peak here (American Source)

Copyright Free Music – Copyright Free Images

Compliance Monthly

Below you will find the monthly reports of our “Compliance Monthly” emails started in July of 2015.

It is a new “game” to help stations, staff and volunteers think about the things that are best practice for your organisation.  Each first week of the month I will submit a question for you to review at your station and answer back to me.  This could be about programming, corporation information, CRTC requirements, etc. and will vary from month to month.

I encourage everyone to participate by filling out the form found in the monthly e-mails sent out to members.  Complete the form and you will get entered into a draw to win a prize. Prizes will be announced each month.  If you submit additional information, i.e. your documentation that proves you are compliant (ie policy, a photo etc), you will get an additional opportunity to win.  At the end of the year, we will hold a big draw for something fun and fancy at the NCRC.

CRTC Resources

The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications (CRTC) regulates and supervises braodcasting and telecommunications in Canada. To find out more about the CRTC, visit their page About the CRTC.

Single Point of Contact for Small Undertakings: 1-866-781-1911
The CRTC provides a toll-free number to answer your questions on just about anything related to your licence and CRTC regulations.

Other Contacts:
• Who’s who at the CRTC
• Key telephone numbers, address, and office locations
• Commissioners and Secretary General
The following policies, regulations, and documents apply to campus and community radio stations.

Key Policies and Regulations

1. Campus and Community Radio Policy (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499): This is the primary policy for all campus and community radio stations. It explains the relevant programming, advertising, and governance regulations as well as other considerations in the areas of applications, technical matters, funding, and volunteers. It replaces the Campus Radio Policy (Public Notice CRTC 2000-12) and the Community Radio Policy (Public Notice CRTC 2000-13).
2. Statutes and Regulations, including links to the Broadcasting Act, Radio Regulations, and the CRTC Rules of Practice and Procedure

Content-related Policies

1. Revised content categories and subcategories for radio (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-819): For the CRTC, all programming falls into specific categories, which stations report on. This policy defines those categories and subcategories. It does not discuss specific requirements such as percentages or hours-per-week, as those are outlined in the Campus and Community Radio Policy.
2. The MAPL system – defining a Canadian song: This is an information sheet that defines the components used to determine whether a song is Canadian or not — Music, Artist, Performance, and Lyrics.
3. Policy regarding the broadcast of hits by English-language FM radio stations (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2009-61): Campus and community stations are limited when it comes to the amount of “Top 40 hits” played. This policy defines what the CRTC considers a hit.
4. Broadcast advertising basics: revenue, limits and content: This information sheet outlines time limits and standards around advertising to children as well as ads promoting alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and 900 numbers.
5. Policy regarding open-line programming (Public Notice CRTC 1998-213): While there are not any specific requirements with respect to open-line programming (which includes any kind of call-in show), this policy highlights the need for broadcasters to understand and respect the sections pertaining to abusive comment, balance, and high standard contained in the Broadcasting Act and Radio Regulations.
6. Balance in Programming in Community Access Media (Public Notice 1988-161): This outlines the CRTC’s approach and interpretations of programming balance stipulated in the Broadcasting Act.
7. Equitable Portrayal Code (Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-23) (formerly “Sex-Role Portrayal — Industry Guidelines”): This contains standards for the the equitable portrayal of identified groups, such as ethnocultural communities, Aboriginal peoples, and people with disabilities.
8. Ethnic Broadcasting Policy and related documents: While focused on services licenced specifically as ethnic stations, it contains some sections pertaining to our sector (see paragraphs 50-56 in the Ethnic Broadcasting Policy.
9. Religious Broadcasting Policy – Related Documents: Any station that airs any religious programming, even if it is one program per week, must adhere to relevant aspects of this policy. Section 4 contains ethical guidelines and programming practices.

Other Policies and Documents

1. Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy (Public Notice CRTC 1992-59): The CRTC does not administer or impose a specific employment policy, but it often encourages licencees to consider employment equity issues in hiring and human resource management practices.
2. Looking to apply for a new campus or community radio licence? You’ll need to submit a completed Application to obtain a broadcasting licence to operate a campus or community radio undertaking (including low-power) – Form 114 (2013).

Selected CRTC studies

1. Campus and Community Radio Sector Informal Stakeholder Meetings — Summary Report (June 2009)
2. International Approaches to Funding Community & Campus Radio (March 2009)
3. Turntablism and Audio Art Study (May 2009)
4. Music availability study for campus radio (January 1999)

Compliance Resources

Using the public airwaves is a privilege. As a result, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) requires each campus and community (c/c) radio station to follow certain regulations and conditions of licence in their broadcasting.

To read some of the letters the NCRA has submitted to the CRTC over the years on behalf of individual stations and the sector as a whole, go here.

We have also produced these resources:

2015 Regulatory Survival Guide

We are very happy to announce the completion and release of the new “Regulatory Guide 2.0” [Updated to 2.1 Sept 23 2015], which is a very large update on the 2011-2012 guide our members so appreciate.  The guide is at least twice the size and provides much more detail.

We will not be printing copies, which saves a bit of money but also allows us to update.  So please note that as things change, we will update and release the guide (ie 2.1, etc).

The entire guide is available in French.

***Please do not share the guide with general membership or other member, but you are welcome to share within your station ***

The original handbook was written and designed (in both official languages) by David Meffe, with support from the Young Canada Works summer employment program from the Department of Canadian Heritage. This updated version was written and designed by Veronique Hynes in the summer of 2014, with funding from the same program.

Translations services by Comeau Translation

Both editions were edited by NCRA Executive Director Shelley Robinson, Barry Rooke and Regulatory Affairs Director Freya Zaltz, as well as other members of the External Policy committee and CRTC staff.

This publication was also made possible with monthly donations from the founding Friends of Community Radio: David Del Rizzo, Curtis Goodman, Brenda Grunau, Ophira Horwitz, Kevin Matthews, Johnnie Regalado, Freya Zaltz, Shelley Robinson, Michael Sheridan, Barry Rooke and two anonymous friends.

THE 2015 REGULATORY SUPPORT GUIDE PDF

THE 2015 REGULATORY SUPPORT GUIDE – BOOKLET FORMAT PDF

THE 2015 REGULATORY SUPPORT GUIDE PDF [FRENCH]

THE 2015 REGULATORY SUPPORT GUIDE – BOOKLET FORMAT PDF [FRENCH]

*Note that with he updates to the Broadcasting Act, we expect there to be a Version 3 of this handbook built in 2026.

For older/other resources see below:

2012 Regulatory Guide / Guide des politiques 2012

This bilingual guide was produced in the summer of 2011 by David Meffe, the Regulatory Support Coordinator. His position was funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Young Canada Works program.

It covers the basics of the Campus and Community Radio Policy (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499) in plain language, for use by station staff and their volunteers. Feel free to print, distribute, and adapt for non-profit use, with acknowledgement. (Don’t be fooled by the 2011-2012 on the cover, it continues to apply so long as long as the CRTC 2010-499 Policy does.)

Complete English version ••• La version française en pleine

By subject ••• par sujet :

Cover page ••• Page couverture
Table of Contents ••• Table des matières
New Policy at a Glance ••• Quoi de neuf

1. Mandate ••• Mandat
2. Canadian Content ••• Contenu canadien 
3. Category 2 Music ••• Musique catégorie 2
4. Category 3 Music ••• Musique catégorie 3
5. Hits ••• Les grands succès
6. Spoken Word ••• Créations orales
7. Advertising ••• La publicité
8. Logs and Records ••• Registres et enregistrements
9. Board Composition ••• Le conseil d’administration
10. Campus Instructional Stations ••• Les stations d’enseignement
11. French Language Stations ••• Les stations de langue française

Appendix ••• Annexe 
Glossary of c/c radio terms ••• Un glossaire de termes

Sounds Cooperative Handbook / Et pourquoi pas une coop?

This bilingual guide was produced in the Spring of 2012 by Zoe Creighton of Kootenay Co-op Radio CJLY-FM in Nelson, BC, as part of that station’s joint project with the NCRA called “Sounds Cooperative“. Funded by the Cooperative Development Initiative, a program of the Government of Canada, it aimed to explore and build on the existing connections between co-operatives and campus and community radio stations.

The project saw the creation of a handbook, with the second chapter detailing the steps involved in starting a campus or community radio station and applying for a licence.

Complete English version ••• La version française en pleine