From the MCRFB news archive: 1971
CKLW Says Rhythm Is Not Included
TORONTO — A loophole in the Canadian content legislation has arisen, centered on the Windsor radio station, CKLW, which is located on the Canadian side of the Detroit River and is a top rated radio station in Detroit, Toledo and Cleveland.
The station has been playing several U.S. soul records recorded by U.S. producers which have been submitted as Canadian content material although the rhythm tracks were laid down at Toronto studios. Overdubbing and mixing were done in the United States.
In the Canadian content legislation, launched in January by the CRTC, the country’s broadcast governing body, a station is required to broadcast 30 per cent of all musical composition in at least one of four categories — instrumentation and lyrics were principally performed by a Canadian, music composed by a Canadian, lyric written by a Canadian and the live performance was wholly recorded in Canada.
The last category is the section that raises the controversy. CKLW vice president of programming, Alden Diehl, said that, in his opinion, the R&B disks programmed were legitimate Canadian product.
Navin Grant, chairman of the Maple Leaf System, which picks product for radio play, had this to say, “I personally would have a lot of questions about whether such performances are Canadian or not. We certainly wouldn’t review them on the MLS although they have not been submitted.
“We could do with some more definition on some of these points from the CRTC.”
CKLW programmed the Janis Joplin single, “Men And Bobby McGee,” as Canadian content because members of the back-up group, Full Tilt Boogie Band, were born in Canada.
However, the CRTC reportedly does not consider two members of a back-up group as principal performers. END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; June 19, 1971).
