A year ago, I appeared before the CRTC as part of its “Path Forward” hearing. Like many, I arrived with cautious optimism. The Commission had acknowledged what everyone in our industry already knew: the system was under extraordinary pressure. Revenue was declining, audiences fragmenting, the economics were becoming increasingly difficult.
The message from broadcasters was straightforward. We needed modernization, flexibility and most importantly, we needed action.
Fast forward roughly six months, the Chair of the CRTC delivered a speech at Radiodays North America in which she described the Commission’s work as building a house. The foundation was being laid, the framework was taking shape, the goal was to create something built to last.
But one year after appearing, I find myself with a simple question: How long does it take to build a house? Because from where many broadcasters sit, we’ve been watching construction for too long.
The challenge is that radio doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect house. We aren’t asking for the Taj Mahal, just for a quality built Canadian structure.
Something practical and functional. Something that allows local broadcasters to compete fairly, invest in content and continue serving their communities.And frankly, it should have been built long before now.
Over the last year, the fundamental issues have not improved. Broadcasters continue to provide local news, emergency information, election coverage, charitable support, community engagement, and Canadian content development. At the same time, more advertising dollars leave the Canadian system and flow to global platforms that operate under vastly different obligations. Platforms that have refused to operate under Canadian rules.
Every month that passes means fewer resources for local journalism and programming. When local stations reduce service, communities lose reporters covering city hall, we lose trusted voices during emergencies and eventually, we risk losing local media altogether. And once local media disappears, it rarely comes back.
The frustrating part is that the solutions being requested are neither radical nor complicated. These are not requests for special treatment but requests for relevance. That is why the open letter released this week by independent broadcasters across Canada struck such a chord. The letter, signed by organizations representing hundreds of stations, urged the federal government to uphold reforms and warned that broadcasters continue facing significant financial pressure while awaiting meaningful relief.
What struck me most was not the content, it was what the letter represented. A year ago, many of us described the challenges facing our industry and offered ideas about how to move forward. A year later, hundreds of independent broadcasters have effectively shown up at the building site asking the same question: Can we come in from the cold? Because it’s long past time to hand over the keys.
