What is a Campus Licence?

In 2009, the CRTC initiated a review of its policy for campus radio and community radio.

As a condition of their respective licences the campus and community radio sector provides distinctive programming opportunities for its listeners and volunteers and opportunities for access to the Canadian broadcasting system. The CRTC acknowledges that there are differences between community and campus stations but the Commission was of the view that these differences should be recognized in a single policy document.

So on July 22, 2010 the CRTC released it`s new Campus and Community Radio Policy which has become the guiding principles of INDI 101 FM.

Accordingly, the Commission considers that it is appropriate to regulate campus and community radio by way of a single policy that provides for differences in the two types of stations where appropriate.

The Commission considers that campus and community radio distinguishes itself by virtue of its place in the communities served, reflection of the communities’ needs and values, and the requirement for volunteers in programming and other aspects of station operations. This helps ensure that the programming is different from that of commercial and public radio. The programming of campus and community radio should distinguish itself from that of the commercial and public sectors in both style and substance, offering programming that is rich in local information and reflection. The programming provided by campus and community radio should meet the needs and interests of the communities served by these stations in ways that are not met by commercial radio stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).

A campus or community radio station is owned, operated, managed and controlled by a not-for-profit organization that provides for membership, management, operation and programming primarily by members of the community served. In its openness to community involvement, campus and community stations offer ongoing opportunities for training in the operation of their station to volunteers from the community served.

Campus and community stations offer programming based on the needs and interests of a community through:

- maximum use of Canadian-produced programming;
- the broadcast of local and regional news and information;
- the broadcast and promotion of local cultural and artistic expression;
- the promotion of Canadian emerging talent with an emphasis on local musical and spoken word talent; and the broadcast of local and regional content related to social, economic and community issues.

Mandate for community stations
Community radio guarantees local broadcasting service through community ownership, which means that community stations cannot be privately purchased by a for-profit organization. Community radio:

- permits and facilitates communication among members of the community by fostering diversity in the broadcasting of opinions, spoken word content and musical programming;
- participates in the stimulation of socio-economic endeavours and in the cultural enrichment of communities; and reflects the diversity of the communities served. Local programming is produced, in part, by volunteers.

Mandate for campus stations
The Commission emphasizes the importance of student involvement in campus stations as well as the relationships that these stations should maintain with the post-secondary institutions with which they are associated.

Campus radio shares the entirety of the mandate of community radio. However, campus radio distinguishes itself as follows:

- local programming is produced in part by volunteers from the student body as well as the broader community;
- the board of directors includes campus representatives, including a balanced representation from the student body and representation from the administration of the post secondary institution, station volunteers and the community at large; and there is access to funding through student levies.


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What is a Campus Licence? In 2009, the CRTC initiated a review of its policy for campus radio and community radio. As a condition of their respective licences the campus and community radio sector provides distinctive programming opportunities for its listeners and volunteers and opportunities for access to the Canadian broadcasting system. The CRTC acknowledges that there are differences between community and campus stations but the Commission was of the view that these differences should be recognized in a single policy document. So on July 22, 2010 the CRTC released it`s new Campus and Community Radio Policy which has become the guiding principles of INDI 101 FM. Accordingly, the Commission considers that it is appropriate to regulate campus and community radio by way of a single policy that provides for differences in the two types of stations where appropriate. The Commission considers that campus and community radio distinguishes itself by virtue of its place in the communities served, reflection of the communities’ needs and values, and the requirement for volunteers in programming and other aspects of station operations. This helps ensure that the programming is different from that of commercial and public radio. The programming of campus and community radio should distinguish itself from that of the commercial and public sectors in both style and substance, offering programming that is rich in local information and reflection. The programming provided by campus and community radio should meet the needs and interests of the communities served by these stations in ways that are not met by commercial radio stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). A campus or community radio station is owned, operated, managed and controlled by a not-for-profit organization that provides for membership, management, operation and programming primarily by members of the community served. In its openness to community involvement, campus and community stations offer ongoing opportunities for training in the operation of their station to volunteers from the community served. Campus and community stations offer programming based on the needs and interests of a community through: - maximum use of Canadian-produced programming; - the broadcast of local and regional news and information; - the broadcast and promotion of local cultural and artistic expression; - the promotion of Canadian emerging talent with an emphasis on local musical and spoken word talent; and the broadcast of local and regional content related to social, economic and community issues. Mandate for community stations Community radio guarantees local broadcasting service through community ownership, which means that community stations cannot be privately purchased by a for-profit organization. Community radio: - permits and facilitates communication among members of the community by fostering diversity in the broadcasting of opinions, spoken word content and musical programming; - participates in the stimulation of socio-economic endeavours and in the cultural enrichment of communities; and reflects the diversity of the communities served. Local programming is produced, in part, by volunteers. Mandate for campus stations The Commission emphasizes the importance of student involvement in campus stations as well as the relationships that these stations should maintain with the post-secondary institutions with which they are associated. Campus radio shares the entirety of the mandate of community radio. However, campus radio distinguishes itself as follows: - local programming is produced in part by volunteers from the student body as well as the broader community; - the board of directors includes campus representatives, including a balanced representation from the student body and representation from the administration of the post secondary institution, station volunteers and the community at large; and there is access to funding through student levies.