Page - 164 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Augie Fleras | Ethnic and Aboriginal Media in Canada 164 asserts the importance of diversity within the broadcast system, but the goals for ethnic and aboriginal broadcasting are established as well. The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) stipulates how to put these principles into practice by specifying the conditions for the dissemination of ethnic and multilingual programming (Karim 2006). For the CRTC, ethnic programming is defined as any radio or television programming aimed at any ethnically or racially distinct group other than aboriginal peoples, and those descendents of French and English settlers. The programming may be in any language, including English or French, or combination of languages. Depending on size of the target group and resources available, stations that feature ethnic programming must incorporate several ethnic groups within their service catchment area. As the CRTC (1999) puts it: Ethnic stations are required to serve a range of ethnic groups in a variety of languages. This is because the scarcity of broadcast frequencies may not permit the licensing of an over-the-air single- language service for each ethnic in a given market. This approach also allows for the provision of service to groups that would not otherwise be able to afford their own single-language service. Other restrictions apply as part of the mandatory licensing arrangement. According to CRTC regulations, ethnic radio and television stations must devote at least 60 percent of their schedule to ethnic programming. The other 40 percent of the schedule allows stations to establish a business model for generating revenues in support of ethnic programming. To reflect Canada’s linguistic diversity, 50 percent of their programming schedule must be in third languages, i.e. languages other than French, English, or the many Aboriginal languages. Ethnic radio stations must fulfill this requirement each broadcast week; compliance with this requirement for ethnic television stations are measured monthly. It should be noted that non ethnic radio and television stations may air unlimited amounts of ethnic programming in French or English, but only 15 percent of their schedules can be in third languages, unless they obtain CRTC approval for up to 40 percent. Such a high level of micro-management may appear excessively bureaucratic. But there is a rationale, namely, the need to protect ethnic broadcasting from undue competition while providing non ethnic stations with the flexibility to reflect local diversity. As is the case with mainstream broadcasting, Canadian content requirements apply to ethnic radio and television stations (generally speaking, radio programming must reflect 35 percent Canadian content – at least for category 2 general music, but only 7