FM broadcasting in Canada

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The history of FM broadcasting started just after World War II ended, but the
experimental FM network did not begin until the 1960s. [1]

Contents
1 Domestic FM networks
2 Regulation of Canadian content
3 Community broadcasting
4 Aboriginal broadcasting
4.1 FM regulatory aspects
4.2 Mileposts in aboriginal broadcasting
4.3 Aboriginal radio stations
5 Station identification
6 Current subcarrier services
7 References
8 External links
Domestic FM networks
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's (CBC) first FM outlets were built in
Montreal for English and French service (two stations), and one each in Toronto,
Ottawa and Vancouver.

At least one station, CKOI-FM in Montreal, is licensed for over 300 kW (307,000
watts).[2]

Regulation of Canadian content

One of the more contentious parts of Canadian broadcast history is the Canadian
content (Cancon) requirements. Launched in 1970, to maintain a sense of Canadian
stations being "Canadian", it required 35% of all broadcast content be of Canadian
origin. With music, a special system was created to clarify what is considered
Canadian content and what isn't. Last modified in 1991, most compact discs and
cassettes in Canada come with the MAPL symbol on them.

Canadian content is calculated by a simple circle divided into four parts (M, A, P
and L). Two of the four parts must be shaded to be considered Canadian content.

M = Music
A = Artist
P = Producer
L = Lyrics
In the late 1990s and into the 2000s, there was a migration of Canadian AM stations
to FM broadcasting. In some cases, the AM channel has been left idle; in others
"specialized" stations have taken over.

Community broadcasting
Most Canadian cities of 50,000 or more people tend to have a community radio
station. Typically these stations operate between 1000 W to 5000 W on FM.

Aboriginal broadcasting
FM regulatory aspects
In 1991, Section 3 of the Broadcasting Act was amended to state that "the Canadian
broadcasting system ... should ... reflect ... the special place of Aboriginal
peoples within (Canadian) society ... ", and that " ... programming that reflects
the Aboriginal cultures of Canada should be provided within the Canadian
broadcasting system as resources become available for the purpose."
Aboriginal broadcasting has been mostly a post 1980s phenomena in Canada, and has
only had formal regulatory support since the 1990s.[citation needed] Mostly the
broadcasting has been on the FM band, as the AM band in Canada is mostly full and
has been at capacity due to US night-time MW signals reaching into Canada.

Mileposts in aboriginal broadcasting

Aboriginal broadcasting in Canada is mostly on the FM band.

In June 2000, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

(CRTC) announced that Aboriginal Voices Radio had been granted a licence for a
station in Toronto, with transmitter on the CN Tower.

While only 2% of the content would be in Aboriginal languages, the CRTC stipulated
that the programming should be " ... oriented to the native population, and reflect
the specific interests and needs of that audience."

In October 2000, Aboriginal Voices applied for a licence to operate a radio network
for First Nations audiences, and the application was granted in February 2001. AVR
was later granted licences for stations in Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, Kitchener-
Waterloo and Montreal.

Separately from Aboriginal Voices, numerous smaller First Nations radio stations
operate in local communities, although each often serves a large geographic region
through the use of rebroadcast transmitters. Such operations include CFNR-FM in
Northern British Columbia, the Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation in Saskatchewan,
CFWE-FM in Alberta, the Wawatay Native Communications Society in Northwestern
Ontario and the Taqramiut Nipingat network in Quebec.

Aboriginal radio stations

See also: Category:First Nations radio stations in Canada
Station identification
Historical notes

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) originally assigned the call letter
blocks VAA to VGZ to Canada. UWA-UZZ was also assigned to Canada, but deleted in
1934.
In 1934, Canada was assigned the blocks CFA-CKZ and VXA-VYZ originally assigned to
"Great Britain and protectorates," and CYA-CZZ originally assigned to Mexico.
Current practices

Newfoundland and Labrador was assigned VOA-VOZ, and was assimilated into Canada's
assignment when Newfoundland became part of Canada on April 1, 1949.
Canadian stations normally use call letters from the CFAA-CFZZ and CHAA-CKZZ
blocks.
Current subcarrier services
These are currently permitted subcarrier services, as allowed by the CRTC

Radio Data System

Directband
References
Cindy J. Sinko, "Reflections: Radio is a sound salvation". Stratford Beacon
Herald, July 10, 2020.
"CKOI-FM Maintains Super-Power Status With Solution From Dielectric". Creative
Planet Network, February 14, 2012.
External links
CFWE Radio
CFWE in the REC Canadian station database
vte
Analog and digital audio broadcasting
Terrestrial
Radio modulation
AMFMCOFDM
Frequency allocations
LW (LF)MW (MF)SW (HF)VHF (low / mid / high)L band (UHF)
Digital systems
CAM-DDAB/DAB+DRM/DRM+FMeXtraHD RadioCDRDVB-T2 Lite
Satellite
Frequency allocations
C bandKu bandL bandS band
Digital systems
ADRDAB-SDVB-SHS-DMBSDR
Commercial radio providers
Sirius XM Canada
Codecs
AACAMR-WB+HDCHE-AACMPEG-1 Audio Layer IIDRA+
Subcarrier signals
AMSSDirectBandPADRDS/RBDSSCA/SCMODARC
Related topics
Technical (audio)
Audio data compressionAudio signal processing
Technical (AM stereo formats)
BelarC-QUAMHarrisKahn-HazeltineMagnavox
Technical (emission)
AM broadcastingAM expanded bandCable radioDigital radioError detection and
correctionFM broadcast bandFM broadcastingFM extended band in BrazilMultipath
propagationShortwave relay station
Cultural
History of radioInternational broadcasting
Radio portalComparison of radio systems
Categories: Radio in Canada
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This page was last edited on 5 March 2022, at 17:34 (UTC).
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