Downsizing the dial: the reinvention of private radio In Canada

Private radio broadcasting in Canada has generally been examined as a component of the larger broadcasting system. This system includes television and public broadcasting, and in more recent years, the so called new media. To properly situate private radio within this larger context, the various factors that have contributed to the development of private radio as a distinct entity need to be investigated. In so doing, we can develop a better understanding of content and programming, but also communication policy and regulation in this country. Radio is inherently a communicative medium with a framework that is constructed around the notion that communication exists between one broadcaster and a larger body of listeners. This is, of course, a reductive simplification, although it serves to illustrate the importance of the individual broadcaster as a point of origin. This thesis begins by exploring English-language private radio, in particular, private radio broadcasters, from a cultural perspective. This is done by applying a model of analysis that includes an examination of the founders and leaders in the private radio sector and the codes and values that are transmitted and adopted by newcomers to the field. Given that Canada’s private radio stations are governed by the Broadcasting Act, the growth and development of private radio must be gauged alongside the cultural objectives specified in the Act. To that end, several key variables are examinbed in this paper including the use of technology and the degree to which private broadcasters have been able to affect change in the regulations that govern their use of the broadcasting spectrum. This research also documents the dramatic influence of the US on radio programming and culture in Canada. The methodological approach includes extensive interviews with broadcasters that examine hiring practises, programming philosophy, and format development. The thesis suggests that as a result of these forces local private radio in English-Canada has been has been redefined providing fewer community programming alternatives. The paper concludes with a discussion focused on the potential for change in private radio to better reflect the potential of the medium to communicate