Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is an independent, non-governmental organization created by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters
to administer standards established by its members, Canada
's private broadcasters.
The Council's membership includes more than 730 private sector radio
and television
stations, specialty services and networks from across Canada, programming in English, French and third languages. As such, the Council allows the private broadcasting industry to be self-regulating; it acts as an intermediary in the regulatory process, which is governed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC itself generally hears complaints against only the few CBSC non-members (most notably public broadcasters such as the CBC
), as well as reviews of CBSC decisions; the latter rarely lead to any additional action.
Although first suggested by private broadcasters as early as 1968, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council was not created until 1990.
re the playing of the song “Money for Nothing
” written by Mark Knopfler
and Sting as recorded in 1985 by Dire Straits
(CBSC Decision 09/10-0818). The council ruled that Canadian radio stations must mute or otherwise edit out the word "faggot" before airing the original version of the song. The CRTC has asked the council to review their ban after they received numerous complaints about the ban.
Canadian Association of Broadcasters
The Canadian Association of Broadcasters was the national voice of Canada's private broadcasters, representing the vast majority of Canadian programming services, including private radio and television stations, specialty, pay and pay-per-view services....
to administer standards established by its members, 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...
's private broadcasters.
The Council's membership includes more than 730 private sector radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
stations, specialty services and networks from across Canada, programming in English, French and third languages. As such, the Council allows the private broadcasting industry to be self-regulating; it acts as an intermediary in the regulatory process, which is governed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC itself generally hears complaints against only the few CBSC non-members (most notably public broadcasters such as the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
), as well as reviews of CBSC decisions; the latter rarely lead to any additional action.
Although first suggested by private broadcasters as early as 1968, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council was not created until 1990.
Council objectives
The Council has five primary objectives:- Assist in the application of broadcast standards developed by the private broadcast industry.
- Inform the public of such standards and the Council's role in self-regulation of the private broadcast industry.
- Provide a forum for public complaints should such standards be violated.
- Provide third-party recommendations to private broadcasters and complainants, should complaint resolution not be achieved.
- Inform broadcasters of emerging societal trends and develop ways to adjust broadcast standards to meet them.
Comparison with similar organizations
Citations have been issued not only for violations of the content guidelines themselves but also for failing to provide sufficient information to viewers, i.e. missing or inadequate viewer advisories, or missing ratings icons.Controversy
In January of 2011 the Council’s Atlantic Regional Panel ruled against CHOZ-FMCHOZ-FM
CJMY and CKMY were previously known as CKCV and CHOS respectively, up to at least 2002. The changes were apparently made to reserve appropriate call signs for "My FM", Newfoundland Broadcasting's proposal for a second FM service, which went before the CRTC later that same year...
re the playing of the song “Money for Nothing
Money for Nothing (song)
"Money for Nothing" is a single by British rock band Dire Straits, taken from their 1985 album Brothers in Arms. It was one of Dire Straits' most successful singles, peaking at number one for three weeks in the United States, and it also reached number one for three weeks on the U.S. Mainstream...
” written by Mark Knopfler
Mark Knopfler
Mark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
and Sting as recorded in 1985 by Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest...
(CBSC Decision 09/10-0818). The council ruled that Canadian radio stations must mute or otherwise edit out the word "faggot" before airing the original version of the song. The CRTC has asked the council to review their ban after they received numerous complaints about the ban.
See also
- Accurate News and Information ActAccurate News and Information ActThe Accurate News and Information Act was a statute passed by the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada, in 1937, at the instigation of William Aberhart's Social Credit government...
- Broadcasting Act (1991)
- Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
- Censorship in CanadaCensorship in CanadaIn Canada, appeals by the judiciary to community standards and the public interest are the ultimate determinants of which forms of expression may legally be published, broadcast, or otherwise publicly disseminated...
- List of telecommunications regulatory bodies
- Media biasMedia biasMedia bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the...
- Radio and Television News Directors AssociationRadio and Television News Directors AssociationThe Radio Television Digital News Association , formerly the Radio-Television News Directors Association , is a United States-based membership organization of radio, television and online news directors, producers, executives and educators...