CICR-FM has been granted a 20-month licence renewal, but with strict conditions attached.
In its sharply worded decision granting the renewal from Jan. 1, 2016 to Aug. 31, 2017, the CRTC has directed the Parrsboro Radio Society (PRS), which operates the community station, to submit a report within 60 days outlining its policies and procedures on how it deals with complaints, how it recruits and trains volunteers and how it decides which volunteers are given access to CICR’s studios at 396 Main St. The decision says that “the Commission is concerned by the allegation that volunteers can be locked out of CICR-FM’s premises, given that the station’s studios are situated in a private residence.”
The report must also explain how the PRS assigns responsibilities for meeting CRTC regulatory requirements.
“Radio frequencies are a limited public resource,” the CRTC decision says. “Holding a broadcasting licence is a privilege, and broadcasters are required to abide by a number of regulations and conditions of licence to operate a radio station.”
The CRTC lists repeated examples of the PRS not complying with its regulatory obligations including failing to file timely financial information as well as not submitting other requested documents, tapes and program logs.
“The Commission considers that the issues and range of the non-compliance described above are extremely serious and relate to fundamental aspects of the broadcasting regulatory system and of Parrsboro Radio’s broadcasting licence,” the decision says.
The CRTC adds it will use the PRS report to assess any future complaints and to evaluate the station’s ability to comply with its regulatory requirements and the policies that govern community radio.
It warns that if PRS breaches the regulations again during the short-term licence renewal period, it could face serious consequences including suspension, non-renewal or outright loss of its broadcasting licence.
Wellllll…..folks now that the proverbial crap has hit the proverbial fan my distant opinion is that it gets put together properly with proper delegation of duties to assure compliance or….another 17 months of the same with a crash and burn at the conclusion. I am sure all will agree that is not a desirable outcome. Canada is pulling out of the Middle East war and so CICR should pull out of it’s conflict zone by all sides embracing an atmosphere of working toward a solution to assure the requirements, short and long term are met! In my opinion committee heads from all past opinions should be appointed to work without prejudice to achieve the desired results which should also be agreed to prior to going to work on them. The current PRS board should reach out to all concerned to be part of the solution and no longer should there be those prejudiced to being part of the cause…. IF you all or any one of the parties in all of this cannot do that then the outcome will not be a good one! Hey!!…I am not a nay-sayer but it’s down to pull it together to succeed or else fail and we all go down in flames. To do that some attitudes need to be changed all along the way and anyone or any group or entity that is unwilling to adjust to a “working together” attitude will sink the thing. All I have to give you all is my words which I hope will steer some thought on everyone’s part (and particularly the PRS Board) to move in a positive direction with this…the band-aid is not going to work because this is a hemorrhage and requires prompt, decisive, action or this patient will be DOA. ///Gordon Heffler-from here