RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST:
The CRTC has slammed a number of Surrey, BC radio stations, finding that they weren’t following the conditions of their license and in essence were broadcasting without a licence. Surrey Myfm inc. (106.9 Myfm) and owner Ravinder Singh Pannu have been ordered to stop broadcasting in Surrey, BC or anywhere else in Canada, unless they comply with the Broadcasting Act. The station came under scrutiny after a complaint was filed in September 2015 alleging Pannu was running Myfm as an unauthorized commercial ethnic FM radio station rather than as an exempt tourist information radio station as licenced. That complaint sparked a greater investigation of other low-power stations in the Surrey area. It led to the discovery that Sur Sagar Radio Inc. (91.5 FM), also owned by Pannu, was broadcasting without a licence and not operating as an exempt low-power house of worship radio station as it was granted permission to do. It’s been ordered to return to that original purpose. Surrey City FM Ltd. (89.3 City FM) owned by Gurpal Singh Garcha, was found to be broadcasting without a licence in violation of its exempt tourist information station status. The station has lost its exemption status.
As a result of these orders, the CRTC has put out the call for comments regarding changes it wants to make to the exemption process. The commission wants those applying for low-power tourist information stations to register with them at the time of applying for a broadcast certificate so operators will be easier to find. Other changes would also see those who violate the conditions of their exemption banned from getting a future exemption. The deadline for comments is Nov. 25.
CKNW AM980 in Vancouver will start simulcasting the Global BC’s News Hour at 6 as Corus further integrates its radio and television programming. The broadcast starts Nov. 7.
Rawlco Radio’s C95 (CFMC-FM) Saskatoon raised $260,021 for breast cancer research during its 17th annual 12-hour radio marathon. The fundraiser was created 17 years ago when Lisa Rendell, a former C95 morning show host, was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She passed away in 2011 after living nearly 12 years with breast cancer.
Clear Sky Radio has been granted a two-year extension to December 9, 2018 by the CRTC to launch the new FM service CKOV-FM in Strathmore due to the significant downturn in the Alberta economy.
Two men from Moncton, NB have launched a podcast that chronicles their experiences as black men living in the Maritimes. Black in the Maritimes is hosted by Fidel Franco and Marcus Marcial who cover topics ranging from news events such as the American election, to preconceived notions they encounter in their daily lives. The weekly podcast has already attracted 5,000 listens across Soundcloud and iTunes in its four months.
