1. TRANSCRIPT DIVERSITY OF VOICES
SEPTEMBER 21, 2007
INTERVENTION
listnum "WP List 3" l 16701 MS de la TORRE: Good morning.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16702 Thank you, Madame Boulet.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16703 Good morning, Mr. Chairman, the CRTC Commissioners,
Commission staff and ladies and gentlemen.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16704 Thank you for the opportunity to share our thoughts with
all of you.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16705 My name is Magda de la Torre, on behalf of a company to
be incorporated, representing CANCON Diversity.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16706 This morning, Doug Kirk, President of Durham Radio, will
join us.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16707 Our title is: Diversity of Voices Hearing, our Last Chance
until January 24, 2012.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16708 Thirty years ago, November 1977, the CRTC requested
790 AM, Brampton, to cancel the three-hour show The Saturday Night Musical Recipe, a
multicultural radio show, produced by Peter Goudas, from Goudas Foods, for not
complying and enforcing the 50 per cent Canadian content in their show.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16709 The CRTC, the CANCON percentage, the number of
diversity residents in Canada and the radio industry as a whole has changed drastically
in the last 30 years.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16710 What has not evolved proportionally is the lack of
representation and exposure that the diverse communities and the CANCON diversity
members receive from the Canadian airwaves.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16711 We commend the CRTC for this much-needed hearing, but
we ask ourselves if maybe it isn't too late.

2. listnum "WP List 3" l 16712 The latest amalgamations within the broadcasting industry
have created a controlled situation by a few major players that only drastic, strong and
carefully sought out measures will make a difference.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16713 The diversity spectrum in Canada is not the same as it
was 30 years ago and 'all our airwaves' have to reflect this diversity phenomenon of
today.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16714 Is the CRTC able and willing to make the changes and
uphold 'safeguarding and enriching the cultural, political, social and economic fabric of
Canada'?
listnum "WP List 3" l 16715 The results of this hearing and the changes to the
regulations will be a part of the Canada where in several Canadian cities the visible
minorities have become visible majorities.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16716 Will those majorities be properly represented?
listnum "WP List 3" l 16717 The future is in your hands, the Chairman and
Commissioners of the CRTC.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16718 The plurality of commercial editorial voices in local and
national markets.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16719 Well, we know we already lost 280 journalists when CTV
announced purchasing CHUM, and personally I was producing a 'Spanglish' show in
Energy 108 when Shaw purchased the station and the first two shows cancelled where
the two offering 'plurality'.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16720 The 'Spanglish' and the 'Caribbean & World Music',
although the BBM ratings for the 'Spanglish' show were number one in 12 plus.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16721 The industry as a whole has to change their mandates and
their visions to recognize and foster plurality of voices in every aspect - commercial,
editorial and singing voices (what we are protecting and promoting).
listnum "WP List 3" l 16722 SOCAN did.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16723 Back in July 18, 2007 we wrote, in our comments, for the
Review of Commercial Radio Regulations:

3. "SOCAN collects royalties and distributes payments to artists performing
third-language music, but . it is not monitored or
accounted." (As read)
listnum "WP List 3" l 16724 MS de la TORRE: Today, only two months later, the
SOCAN membership application, reads:
"English, French of Other." (As read)
listnum "WP List 3" l 16725 MS de la TORRE: Now, there is a plurality, and it is
measured.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16726 Like this, every media, local and national, should amend
their services to include the diverse plurality residing in Canada.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16727 Enclosed is a list of the Broadcast Dialogue radio stations
in the GTA for your perusal and maybe your comments.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16728 Mr. O'Farrell, talking for the Canadian broadcasters, said:
"We are celebrating the surplus of diversity and the surplus of plurality." (As
read)
listnum "WP List 3" l 16729 MS de la TORRE: There is a plurality of commercial voices
in the Toronto market.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16730 Two definitions for plurality. 'The state or fact of being
plural.' 'A large number or amount.'
listnum "WP List 3" l 16731 But nobody is talking about the plurality of opinions, the
plurality of backgrounds that will bring different opinions or the plurality of the diversity
of countries living in Canada that each of them has journalists with opinions about the
perspectives of Canadians on local, national and global affairs.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16732 The most effective way to ensure that all Canadians are
exposed to an appropriate plurality of these voices is via 'diversity owners and/or
managers' and, even then, sometimes it does not work.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16733 The second adjacency is, like this hearing, our last chance
and our only hope.

4. listnum "WP List 3" l 16734 With already two second adjacencies working in Toronto
and one just licensed in Montreal we will welcome any other second adjacencies and,
with diversity and plurality, try to balance the airwaves.
listnum "WP List 3" l 16735 Doug?
listnum "WP List 3" l 16736 MR. KIRK: Thank you, Magda.