Canadian Radio: CBC Gets Okay to Air Commercials

The CRTC, Canada’s broadcast regulator, on Tuesday approved plans to put national commercials on the network’s English language CBC Radio Two signal, and on its Radio-Canada equivalent, Espace Musique.

The green light to sell up to four minutes of ads per hour came as the CBC looks to make up for lost revenue after deep chops to its annual public subsidy, according to THR.

The CRTC, which ignored opposition from private radio stations to allowing commercial airtime, also renewed various CBC broadcast licenses for another five years.

The CBC will now be able to double-dip as it collects advertising revenue for CBC Radio Two and Espace Musique, while also drawing taxpayer subsidies.

The new revenue will only partially replace $115 million in government financing cut from the CBC’s budget over three years.

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