Source : Edmonton Journal

Much-anticipated CRTC decision could restore needed balance to post-JOE radio scene

Thirteen years ago, Christian Slater starred in Pump Up The Volume as a pirate radio DJ sick of listening to the dull and artificial idealism of his parents' generation. He wasn't big on their music, either.

Slater's character, a lumpy Holden Caulfield for the big-cellphone era, smoked cigarettes and growled platitudes on his basement radio about "the lies." He played The Pixies and inspired put-upon and misunderstood teenagers to think a little harder about the nature of their pain, to "make 'em think you're crazy, make 'em think you might snap."

The conceit behind Pump Up The Volume is that the airwaves are owned by the people yet controlled by the man. "Steal the air," was one of the tag lines. (The other one was, unfortunately, "talk hard.")

Not much has changed since 1990. Teenagers of a poetic or revolutionary bent still feel alienated by big media while the majority of their peers don't care. The airwaves are still controlled by the man or, to be more specific, a government agency called Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Young Edmontonians most passionate about being put-upon and misunderstood today aren't starting up pirate radio stations to speak the truth. Blogs fulfill that function. However, judging by my inbox after Power 92 switched formats to JOE FM last week, plenty are upset about the state of the air.

Last June, the CRTC heard proposals from nine applicants for radio licenses in Edmonton. These proposals included easy-listening and smooth-jazz proponents, an aboriginal group, modern and independent rock promoters and urban radio aficonados. Urban radio, a euphemism for a mixture of rap, R&B and hip-hop, seems to have the most passionate and ardent fans.

Edmonton is the only major city in Canada without an urban station. Two applications, a partnership by CHUM FM and Milestone Media, and by CKMW, both based in Toronto, pitched all-urban formats. An application from Saskatchewan's Harvard Broadcasting aimed to blend modern rock with urban music. Some local urban music enthusiasts assert there is a conspiracy at work, that the CRTC is dragging its feet with the licenses for some nefarious reasons.

Philippe Tousignant, a spokesperson for the CRTC, said the decision should come within a couple of months. "There is nothing to read into the delay. Some (deliberations) take years."

It's already been too long for some local urban music promoters and musicians.

Longtime Edmonton saxophonist and R&B artist Jeff Hendrick, who spoke to the CRTC on behalf of the CHUM/Milestone application in June, is packing his bags.

"I hear the argument all the time, that this is a rock town, that we don't have an audience for urban music," said Hendrick, shortly after playing what might be his last gig as an Edmontonian last week. "Well, that's just wrong."

The deep-voiced 31 year-old musician is either moving to Calgary, which has two on-air venues for his music, or further south to the States.

"All I know is it's mystifying to me that I've been getting regular to medium rotation on stations in Toronto, Calgary and Winnipeg. Even Hamilton's coming on. London, England, two stations there. But in my hometown? Nothing."

Hendrick thinks commercial radio in Edmonton doesn't get behind local artists. Even if they aren't the most profitable stations in their markets, urban outfits like Vibe 91.7, which CHUM and Milestone are pitching, have a good record across the country for playing homegrown music and galvanizing support for a genre we only hear on MuchMusic and publicly-supported stations in Edmonton like CJSR, CKUA and CBC Radio Three.

Commercial stations cannot compete musically with publicly supported operations that rely more on the quality of their record collections than financial results.

However, only commercial stations with their obnoxious ads and ubiquitous logos can sponsor major shows and attract major artists to a city.

Christian Slater and his character in Pump Up The Volume grew up on punk, new wave and heavy metal in the 1980s, three musical genres that thrived despite being scarce on commercial radio. All three genres happen to be well-represented on Edmonton's new '80s-heavy JOE FM. When the oldies stations of 2024 play the hits of today, they'll likely include urban artists who aren't considered profitable by the current players in Edmonton in 2004.

The kids aren't rising up, but the city will suffer if our radio landscape doesn't change soon.

"When you can't seem to build momentum with mainstream radio and you have momentum in five other markets you have to go, 'Whoa,' " said Hendrick.

"You have to leave. And that's gonna happen more and more."

© Edmonton Journal