Marxist Activist Radio Goes Off the Air: CRTC revokes CKLN's broadcast license

From the Canadian Radio Television Commission website:

OTTAWA-GATINEAU, January 28, 2011 —The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today revoked the licence of CKLN-FM, a community-based campus radio station located at Ryerson University. The licence holder, CKLN Radio Inc., was found to have been in breach of numerous regulations and conditions of licence. It was unable to convince the Commission that it could operate the station in a compliant manner going forward.    

“Holding a broadcasting licence is a privilege that comes with responsibilities and regulatory obligations,” said Konrad von Finckenstein, Q.C., Chairman of the CRTC. “CKLN Radio was given several warnings and opportunities to come into compliance. Each time, it demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to address our concerns. Taking away its licence is the only appropriate course of action in this case.”    

The Commission began investigating CKLN-FM in July 2009 after receiving numerous complaints about the station’s governance structure, day-to-day management and operations, programming and ability to remain on air. At the time, the station experienced significant infighting and the volunteers, staff and management were locked out of the studio premises by the building manager. During the seven-month lockout, CKLN-FM broadcast an intermittent loop of programming without any ongoing community involvement or oversight by the licensee.    

Once it resumed normal operations, CKLN Radio Inc. lacked any significant quality-control mechanism for its programming and there was little involvement from the Ryerson University student body despite its status as a campus radio station. It was also unable to meet some of the basic requirements of all licence holders, which include the submission of audible on-air tapes, program log and other records, and complete annual returns.   

Today’s decision follows a proceeding that included a public hearing, which was held on December 8 and 9, 2010.