Every week I say, "I must remember to ask that question the next time the CRTC decides to conduct their review of radio."
I will be keeping a running tab of questions on this site. It is better than scribbling it onto a restaurant napkin and trying to read it the next morning. Feel free to submit your questions to the CRTC Commissioner here.
1. Why do radio stations that play more than 99% music from an era that required 30% Cancon, need to play 35%? And who does that benefit?
2. We know that listeners are more apt to tune out from a newer unfamiliar song. So why does the CRTC place the same value on old Canadian Content as new Canadian content? Would not it be smarter to offer new songs released in the last 18 months a Cancon credit of 1.5? How about a double credit if it played during peak listening of hours of 7-9am and 4-6pm? It's time to get the "E" for Emerging, into the MAPL Cancon criteria.
3. Acknowledging that content is expensive, (music and spoken word) why haven't you asked radio stations to fund content creators beyond musician funds like FACTOR and StarMaker? There are radio and journalism schools that need money and upgrades to the digital age. Given that nearly everyone born into our social media world and has an audience, shouldn't we be enhancing the skills of willing broadcasters to suit the public's needs?
4. Do you think it is in the public's interest that radio and TV stations be owned by phone companies? Thirty years ago, the local newspaper could not own the local radio or TV station, and vice versa. Today, the phone company which distributes all the media information also controls the TV station, and Radio station. Those same owners own the rights to sports broadcasts and clearly play favourites in how that content is distributed. Frequently, TV viewers are playing hide-and-seek to find the broadcasts.
5. Not a radio related question but why do so many phone calls drop out? Is it because the phone company is jamming too many phone signals through its system? Phone calls in the early 1900's had better connectivity. Albeit, there was a chance the operator could be listening in.
6. How come phone companies have not activated the FM Chip in the phones they sell? Is it because they stand to make streaming dollars by not activating it? If that's the case, would not the CRTC be in a position to tell the phone companies to either activate it or remove it from phones altogether? The CRTC already acknowledges that radio is vital in an emergency and if a cell network goes down, Canadian radio has already been equipped to aid in such emergencies. It should not take petitions to spur this action.
7. That hit/non-hit thing in Ottawa and Montreal - can you get rid of that? As one Australian programmer (now residing in Canada) described it: "It's like going to the counter of your favourite book store with 10 books and being told to take half of them back and get non-sellers." Outside of a Cold War Communist nation, who legislates the broadcasting of failed product?
Again, please add your questions to the list and I will be sure to bring it to the attention of the CRTC Chairman if and when there is a review on radio rules and regualtions.