Page - 165 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Augie Fleras | Ethnic and Aboriginal Media in Canada 165 percent for category 1 ethnic music). Television programming must reflect 60 percent Canadian content, including 50 percent during the evening (‘prime time’) broadcast slot. 4.3.1 Ethnic Broadcasting The CRTC drafted its first ethnic broadcasting policy in 1985. The policy was predicated on the multicultural premise that new Canadians would have a stronger sense of belonging if provided with programming from within their community and in their own language (Whyte 2006). Since the CRTC issued Canada’s first license for ethnic broadcasting to CHIN radio in 1966, the number of licensed ethnic radio and television services has grown dramatically. At present, licensed ethnic and third language services consist of five over the air TV stations in the MTV cities (Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver), 18 ethnic radio stations that offer nearly 2000 hours of third language programming each week), 10 specialty audio services that require special receivers, 5 analog specialty services, 11 launched category 2 digital specialty services and 50 approved but not yet launched (cited in Lincoln et al 2005; also Cardozo 2005). (category 2 services are digital, pay, and specialty services that are not obligated to be carried by cable or satellite distributor) (Kular 2006). OMNI 1 and OMNI 2 are world leaders in this field in producing in excess of 20 hours of original programming per week, including 60 percent that is non-French or non-English (Quill 1996). Vision TV, a national broadcaster, also hosts about 30 programs about different religious faiths and practices. Inroads are also evident in the private sector, where multicultural issues since 1984 have been addressed by Toronto’s CITY-TV station through two large blocks of non- English, non-French programming. 4.3.2 Aboriginal Media and Broadcasting Like ethnic minorities, Aboriginal peoples too have indigenized media institutions as a tool of empowerment for linking the past with pathways into a globally integrated future (Meadows and Molnar 2001; Roth 2006). But aboriginal and ethnic media operate on different wavelengths: While ethnic media provide an alternative service to that offered by mainstream newsmedia, aboriginal media strive to provide a first level of service since the mainstream does not service aboriginal audiences (Avison and Meadows 2000). Not surprisingly, because of differences in sociological and constitutional status aboriginal media reflect a different logic compared to ethnic media (Fleras and