31 March 2014 / #media #music Did you know: The government has a top 40 song quota for Ottawa radio stations[  ](http://ottawastart.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/20130914_122549.jpg) Photo by [ Glen Gower ](http://about.me/glengower)I've been talking to several local radio insiders about Ottawa's commercial radio formats, playlists, etc. One interesting regulation that I learned about is called the "hit/no hit" rule. This is related to, but completely separate from the CANCON rules regulating the amount of Canadian content played on the airwaves. Here's [ a description from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ](http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/dunbarleblanc.htm) (CRTC), the government body that regulates radio broadcasting in Canada. (Emphasis is mine.)In the Commission's 1975 policy "FM Radio in Canada - A Policy to Ensure a Varied and Comprehensive Radio Service"312 the concept of monitoring and regulating the ratio of hits to non-hits that are broadcast on each commercial FM radio station was introduced.** The basic concept was to increase diversity on the air waves, and to encourage the air-play of new and emerging Canadian artists. ** The hits/non-hits policy applied to all FM stations that broadcast popular music. They were required to m ** aintain the level of hits below 50% of popular music selections broadcast during a broadcast week. ** The policy was enforced through incorporation of this commitment into a licensee's Promise of Performance, which became a condition of licence.Over time the Commission has reduced, by stages, the application of this policy. In 1990 the CRTC exempted French-language stations from the hits policy. ** In 1997 the Commission reduced the impact of the rule for most commercial radio stations, but continued to apply it to English-language commercial radio stations in Montreal and Ottawa. ** ** This was done in an attempt to level the playing field between French-language and English-language broadcasters who were competing for listeners and advertisers in those bilingual markets. ** The concern was that if the French-language FM broadcasters in those two markets were also required to play 65% French-language vocal selections they would be at a competitive disadvantage with their English-language counterparts, if they were no longer restricted to a level of "hits" below 50%.What qualifies as a hit? * "Hits" include any song that's appeared on the mainstream Top 40 list in Canada or the U.S. at any time in the past few decades. * There's a big exception: Canadian songs that are can-con eligible and have been a top 40 hit the last year can be played without counting against the "hit" quota. (But if they're older than one year old, they count as a hit.) This is to encourage more new Canadian content on the air. * The quota applies between 6am-midnight. * <strike> Radio stations can program their 50% "non-hits" during overnight or evening hours when fewer people are listening. As long as they don't go over 50% hit song limit during a seven day period. </strike> Any local radio / industry people who can add some context or insight to this rule? Send me a note at feedback@ottawastart.com**** ** See also: ** Ottawa Radio GuideIf you liked this post, you should ** subscribe to etcetera , ** our free email newsletter. Featuring cool Ottawa events, interesting local news and contests and giveaways. Thanks!