Beaver hour
Encyclopedia
The beaver hour, or beaver bin, is a satirical
nickname for a programming philosophy used by some Canadian
radio stations, which was prominent especially, but not exclusively, in the 1970s.
Following the 1971 adoption of Canadian content
regulations for Canadian radio, some Canadian radio stations, rightly or wrongly, felt that their audiences did not want to hear Canadian musicians. Accordingly, they would designate certain program blocks in off-peak listening hours, such as late evenings or overnight on weekdays, or early on Sunday mornings, to play almost exclusively Canadian music
. This had the effect of reducing the number of Canadian selections that would have to be played during peak listening hours.
These program blocks were referred to as "beaver hours" by listeners and cultural critics, although never officially by radio stations themselves. (The North American Beaver is the national animal of Canada
.)
The practice was controversial, and gradually faded in the latter half of the decade as Canadian music began to increase in commercial popularity. However, some top 40 stations in competitive markets (such as CHUM
and CFTR
in Toronto) continued the practice well into the 1980s.
The name is still used on occasion to refer to any practice, such as the scheduling of Canadian television programming, which has the effect of "ghettoizing
" Canadian entertainment.
However, some Canadian radio stations can still be heard playing widely disproportionate quotas of Canadian content in certain off-peak hours. The River
in Fort Erie, Ontario
, a station that was known to be targeting audiences in the neighbouring city of Buffalo, New York
more than in Canada, ran a late evening "Canadian Culture Club" programming block into the 2000s.
Applicants for new broadcasting licenses commonly promise to accept, as a condition of license, higher Canadian content requirements than their competitors, hoping this will advantage their applications. The ultimately successful 2000 CRTC license application proposing an urban music radio station in Vancouver
– what became The Beat 94.5
– included an all-Canadian music block during the midday period. (However, in the case of urban music, which has historically been an underserved segment of the Canadian music industry, an all-Canadian programming block could also be seen as a positive development.)
CKNS
, a new entrant in Haldimand, Ontario, was licensed in 2004 after at first proposing a 100% Canadian music requirement. Citing second thoughts about songs with some Canadian character that were not recognized as Canadian content, this was reduced during the application to 60%, but the applicant continued to propose a Canadian music format. CKHC
, the campus radio
station of Toronto's Humber College
, voluntarily adopted a 100% Canadian content format when it launched in early 2005.
The license applications for Sirius Canada
and XM Radio Canada
included several 100% Canadian music channels; the eventual conditions of license for satellite radio
in Canada required only 85% Canadian music on designated Canadian channels, but more such channels than had been proposed.
Still today, French Canadian stations usually play a mix of French and English tunes, but they are required to play a minimum quota of francophone contents on-air. Frequently, it results in late-night or off-peak blocks of French cuts. For example, Quebec City rock station, CHOI
98.1 FM airs "La Dump ou le meilleur du rock francophone" ("The Dump, or the best of Francophone Rock") from 9pm to 12am and added more talk contents during daytime.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
nickname for a programming philosophy used by some Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
radio stations, which was prominent especially, but not exclusively, in the 1970s.
Following the 1971 adoption of Canadian content
Canadian content
Canadian content refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requirements that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from...
regulations for Canadian radio, some Canadian radio stations, rightly or wrongly, felt that their audiences did not want to hear Canadian musicians. Accordingly, they would designate certain program blocks in off-peak listening hours, such as late evenings or overnight on weekdays, or early on Sunday mornings, to play almost exclusively Canadian music
Music of Canada
The music of Canada has influences that have shaped the country. Aboriginals, the British, and the French have all made unique contributions to the musical heritage of Canada. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between...
. This had the effect of reducing the number of Canadian selections that would have to be played during peak listening hours.
These program blocks were referred to as "beaver hours" by listeners and cultural critics, although never officially by radio stations themselves. (The North American Beaver is the national animal of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.)
The practice was controversial, and gradually faded in the latter half of the decade as Canadian music began to increase in commercial popularity. However, some top 40 stations in competitive markets (such as CHUM
CHUM (AM)
CHUM, branded as TSN Radio 1050, broadcasting at 1050 kHz in the AM band, is a Canadian radio station licensed to Toronto, Ontario. The station is owned and operated by Bell Media....
and CFTR
CFTR (AM)
CFTR, broadcasting under the brand 680News, is an all-news radio station based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 680 kHz on the AM dial...
in Toronto) continued the practice well into the 1980s.
The name is still used on occasion to refer to any practice, such as the scheduling of Canadian television programming, which has the effect of "ghettoizing
Ghetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
" Canadian entertainment.
However, some Canadian radio stations can still be heard playing widely disproportionate quotas of Canadian content in certain off-peak hours. The River
CKEY-FM
This article is about the FM station in Fort Erie, ON. For the former Toronto AM station see CHKT.CKEY-FM is a Canadian radio station that serves the Buffalo Area, broadcasting at 101.1 FM in Fort Erie, Ontario. The station broadcasts a Contemporary Hit Radio format under branding Z101...
in Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie, Ontario
Fort Erie is a town on the Niagara River in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. It is located directly across the river from Buffalo, New York....
, a station that was known to be targeting audiences in the neighbouring city of Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
more than in Canada, ran a late evening "Canadian Culture Club" programming block into the 2000s.
Applicants for new broadcasting licenses commonly promise to accept, as a condition of license, higher Canadian content requirements than their competitors, hoping this will advantage their applications. The ultimately successful 2000 CRTC license application proposing an urban music radio station in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
– what became The Beat 94.5
CFBT-FM
CFBT-FM is a Canadian contemporary hit radio radio station in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia...
– included an all-Canadian music block during the midday period. (However, in the case of urban music, which has historically been an underserved segment of the Canadian music industry, an all-Canadian programming block could also be seen as a positive development.)
CKNS
CKNS-FM
CKJN-FM is a Canadian commercial radio station, licensed to Haldimand, Ontario in 2005. Since September 2007, the station is branded on-air as Moose FM 92.9. The station originally launched with the call sign CKNS, and adopted its current call sign and format in June 2007...
, a new entrant in Haldimand, Ontario, was licensed in 2004 after at first proposing a 100% Canadian music requirement. Citing second thoughts about songs with some Canadian character that were not recognized as Canadian content, this was reduced during the application to 60%, but the applicant continued to propose a Canadian music format. CKHC
CKHC-FM
CKHC-FM is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 96.9 FM in Toronto, Ontario. It is a low-power station, and the campus radio station of the city's Humber College....
, the campus radio
Campus radio
Campus radio is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively by students, or may include programmers from the wider community in which the radio station is based...
station of Toronto's Humber College
Humber College
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning is a polytechnic college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Humber offers more than 150 programs including: bachelor’s degree, diploma, certificate, post-graduate certificate and apprenticeship programs, across 40 fields of study. Humber serves...
, voluntarily adopted a 100% Canadian content format when it launched in early 2005.
The license applications for Sirius Canada
Sirius Canada
Sirius Canada is a Canadian company, a partnership between Slaight Communications, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Sirius Satellite Radio, which was one of three services licensed by the CRTC on June 16, 2005 to introduce satellite radio service to Canada.On November 24, 2010, following...
and XM Radio Canada
XM Radio Canada
XM Radio Canada was the operating name of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. , a Canadian communications and media company, which was incorporated in 2002 to broadcast satellite radio in Canada...
included several 100% Canadian music channels; the eventual conditions of license for satellite radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
in Canada required only 85% Canadian music on designated Canadian channels, but more such channels than had been proposed.
Still today, French Canadian stations usually play a mix of French and English tunes, but they are required to play a minimum quota of francophone contents on-air. Frequently, it results in late-night or off-peak blocks of French cuts. For example, Quebec City rock station, CHOI
CHOI-FM
CHOI-FM is a French language FM radio station that broadcasts on the frequency 98.1 MHz out of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, with a talk radio format...
98.1 FM airs "La Dump ou le meilleur du rock francophone" ("The Dump, or the best of Francophone Rock") from 9pm to 12am and added more talk contents during daytime.
See also
- Cultural CringeCultural cringeCultural cringe, in cultural studies and social anthropology, is an internalized inferiority complex which causes people in a country to dismiss their own culture as inferior to the cultures of other countries...
- E/IE/IE/I, which stands for "educational and informative," refers to a type of children's television programming shown in the United States. The Federal Communications Commission requires that every full-service Terrestrial television station in the U.S. show at least three hours of these television...
, an equivalent current-day requirement to air children's programming on American television stations