The FM airwaves off the southern coast of British Columbia are a hot commodity. Two groups are vying for the last available FM channel near Gabriola Island, BC. The Ocean is a Victoria-based light rock station owned by Rogers Broadcasting Limited. The company has submitted an application to the CRTC to strengthen the station’s signal in the Gabriola Island region. The strengthening of the station’s signal would take the last available FM channel in the area, a channel that a local radio society has been working-towards for seven years. CJSW spoke with the president of Gabriola Radio and a representative from Rogers Radio.
Listen:
I am a volunteer with Gabriola Radio Society as part of my “new career” in community communications services.
It has everything to do with “agency”. That is, the individual’s freedom to access information that is relevant to their lifestyle needs. The concentration of power that characterizes “corporate government {Ralph Nader}” robs individuals of this fundamental right. That is why we have “Heritage Canada” and the CRTC - to protect the public interest from excessive incursions of “for profit” organizations. Our Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not necessarily provide this protection.
My first career included some twenty two years serving the public interest in BC while on the staff of the BC Utilities Commission. For a brief time we “regulated” paid for non-broadcast TV. I learned that monopolies and oligarchies must be controlled in the public interest because not to do so would give them unfettered access to public resources. I understand what the CRTC is mandated to do - the question is - will they fulfill that mandate for the common good and the good of the commons?
The community radio service, not for profit broadcasters and their audience now waits for a fair, just and reasonable Decision.