** Updates will be noted by date stamps. 

August 22nd, 2023

Below you will find a letter template to send to your MP. You can use this letter template by copying and pasting. You can find contact information for your MP here: https://www.ourcommons.ca/members/en/

(Date)

(Mailing Address of Constituency Office)

Dear (name of MP),

RE: CFCR 90.5 FM, Bill C-18 and online access to Community Radio content

As you may know, CFCR 90.5 FM Community Radio is a non-profit organization in the heart of downtown Saskatoon. CFCR is a volunteer-powered, listener-supported organization serving the alternative radio needs of Saskatoon and surrounding areas since 1991. I’m writing as a supporter (OR volunteer host OR avid listener, etc) of CFCR 90.5 FM from (name of community) in (name of riding).

While CFCR does not host a newsroom, they are a vital source of information for local events, initiatives, programming, and general happenings of the community, like all other Campus, Community, and Indigenous radio stations across Canada.

I am bringing my concerns to you today about the recent block to CFCR’s social media platforms as META’s response to Bill C-18 which enacts the Online News Act. Although CFCR does not host a newsroom, they are required by their CRTC license to host a certain percentage of news content via their air waves and are being directly impacted by this response. CFCR’s social media platforms are no longer viewable by Canadian users, which means they are not able to use these platforms to keep their listeners up-to-date.

(Please insert personal input about why CFCR ability to communicate via social media matters to you)

Additionally, revenues from FM-Phasis, CFCR’s Annual Fundraiser, as well as new membership volumes during the annual Membership Month are closely related to the ability to be discovered via social media. FM-Phasis alone is essential to the existence of CFCR, as it accounts for 15-20% of the annual operating budget. The inability to use META platforms to create attention during these critical initiatives could mean the end to Community Radio in Saskatoon. Although CFCR has a unique resource – the FM signal – no one is expected to tune in to CFCR 90.5 FM 24 hours a day. Social media platforms have given CFCR the opportunity to allow their followers to continually access information and content they create, no matter the time of day, and to continually stay engaged. In today’s digital age, CFCR relies on the visibility of the station being provided digitally.

CFCR operates on the core operational budget of about $500,000 annually with 5 Full-Time staff that support over 100 volunteers. Having additional core and stable funding would allow CFCR to spend more time generating local programming, creating accessibility within the station, fostering inclusive community-based initatives, and supporting the volunteer and listener base, instead of trying to keep the lights on, a harsh reality that most non-profit campus, community and Indigenous radio stations experience.

In the short term, would you support reallocating advertising from web giants to community radio?

Can you help CFCR in the long run by supporting the Community Radio Initiative, which will provide core and stable funding for stations like ours across the country?

Can you support the renewal of the Local Journalism Initiative, which was not included in this year’s Federal Budget?

Can you also support the consultations and reasonable negotiations with META?

All Canadian’s deserve free access to information about their community, local events, initiatives and programming on whatever platform they may choose to view it, which including CFCR 90.5 FM.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

(Name)

(Connection to CFCR if applicable)

August 17th, 2023

We are asking that you continue to write to your MP to address your concerns about how the ongoing proceedings of Bill C-18 is harming Community, Campus, and Indigenous radio stations. 

CFRC 101.9 FM in Kingston, ON has published an article with resources and information. Click here to view this article. They have created a letter template to address to your MP that is specific to CRFC. However, we will also be creating a letter template for CFCR members and supporters to use when contacting your MP. 

Please continue to access our website for information about events, programming and initiatives happening at CFCR 90.5 FM. 

August 3rd, 2023

Bill C-18, now a law as of June 2023, will require “tech companies to compensate media organizations if they want to host Canadian news content on their platforms.” (ctvnews.ca) Google and Meta are both in opposition to this bill. Beginning August 1st, Meta will begin to make changes to how we access news content on Meta platforms. This means that when you are attempting to access news content on either Instagram or Facebook, you will see a message that reads:

“People in Canada can’t see this content. In response to Canadian government legislation, news content can’t be viewed in Canada.”

Unfortunately, CFCR’s Instagram and Facebook pages have been labelled as news content and starting this week, you won’t be able to access our content on either of those social platforms.

The enactment of Bill C-18 will have immediate impacts on Community, Campus, and Indigenous radio stations across Canada. In today’s “digital age”, many non-profits like CFCR rely on our online platforms for visibility – to share the events, fundraisers, partnerships, and community relationships that help us to “keep the lights on.” 

Here are some ways you can help:

• Contact your local MP to share your concerns about the impacts Bill C-18 is having on Community, Campus, and Indigenous radio stations.
• Send an email with concerns to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (hon.pascale.st-onge@pch.gc.ca)
• Access news content via canada-info.ca.
• Tune into 90.5 FM via radio waves, or our online media players on our website and our app.
• Access up-to-date information about CFCR 90.5 FM at cfcr.ca.

We want to clarify that our concerns are not with Bill C-18 itself, but rather with the immediate impacts we are experiencing here at CFCR Headquarters. We will continue to update this page regarding this situation as we receive new information. 

Thank-you so much for your continued support and your understanding throughout this process.