A Mississauga radio station has been denied permission to significantly increase the amount of programming it broadcasts in languages other than English and French, despite arguing the change could help it survive financial challenges.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) rejected CKNT’s (known as Sauga 960 AM) request to raise third-language programming from 15 percent to 40 percent of its broadcast week.

The decision, released Thursday (Oct. 22), marks the second time the commission has rejected a similar request from the station, which serves Mississauga and Brampton.

The CRTC is an independent federal regulator that oversees broadcasting and telecommunications in Canada.

CKNT’s operator, 8159203 Canada Limited, argued the change would allow it to serve Mississauga’s culturally diverse population better while improving its financial performance in a challenging radio market.

The station proposed expanding programming for communities including Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu speakers, saying it could provide educational content, connect newcomers with information and support, and create opportunities for program producers.

However, the CRTC said the application did not demonstrate a compelling economic need for the change.

The commission noted that CKNT’s own financial projections showed revenues were expected to increase whether or not the request was approved, meaning the additional programming flexibility was not essential to the station’s economic viability.

The CRTC also found the proposal was inconsistent with its licensing rules, which establish different requirements for general-interest and ethnic radio stations.

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Under current regulations, commercial stations that are not licensed as ethnic broadcasters can devote up to 15 per cent of their broadcast week to third-language programming without special approval. The CRTC can authorize an increase to as much as 40 per cent, but said CKNT had not demonstrated that its application warranted the exception.

Ethnic radio stations, meanwhile, must devote at least 60 per cent of their broadcast week to ethnic programming and at least 50 per cent to third-language programming.

The commission said allowing CKNT to substantially expand third-language programming could enable it to compete more directly with established ethnic stations without having to meet the same regulatory obligations.

Two parties opposed the application: CINA, an ethnic radio station serving Mississauga, and the Coalition of Toronto CMA Market Ethnic Broadcasters, which includes broadcasters serving Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto.

The CRTC did not find that approving CKNT’s request would cause undue economic harm to existing stations. However, it concluded the application was not justified on economic grounds and would not be consistent with its licensing framework.

The decision follows an earlier unsuccessful attempt by CKNT to obtain permission to increase third-language programming. In 2021, the commission rejected a request to raise the limit from 15 per cent to 22 per cent.

The latest ruling was not unanimous. Commissioner Bram Abramson issued a dissenting opinion arguing that CKNT should have been allowed to increase its third-language programming to 40 per cent.

Abramson pointed to the linguistic diversity of Mississauga and Brampton, noting that more than 62 per cent of residents in the two cities can converse in a third language, according to figures cited in his opinion.

He argued that the existing rules should be reconsidered as the radio industry changes and stations face increasing financial pressures.

The majority decision, however, maintained that CKNT had not provided sufficient justification to receive the requested flexibility.

The commission also reminded the station of its responsibilities to provide local programming, including local news, weather, sports coverage and information about community events. It encouraged CKNT to explore ways to increase its local news content.

The ruling does not prevent CKNT from broadcasting third-language programming within the existing 15 per cent limit. The station can also broadcast ethnic programming in English and French without a limit under the rules that apply to non-ethnic stations.

The full decision is available on the CRTC website.


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