The MAPL* system refers to the four elements in the Radio Regulations used to qualify musical selections as Canadian. These elements were selected, as part of the Canadian content regulations, following an extensive public hearing process. The MAPL system is designed to stimulate all components of the Canadian music industry and to be as simple as possible for the industry to implement and regulate.
Objectives
The primary objective -- a cultural one -- is to encourage increased exposure of Canadian musical performers, lyricists and composers to Canadian audiences. The secondary objective -- an industrial one -- is to strengthen the Canadian music industry, including both the creative and production components. How does it work?
1. To qualify as 'Canadian content' a musical selection must generally fulfill at least two of the following conditions:
- M (music) -- the music is composed entirely by a Canadian.
- A (artist) -- the music is, or the lyrics are, performed principally by a Canadian.
- P (production) -- the musical selection consists of a live performance that is
(i) recorded wholly in Canada, or
(ii) performed wholly in Canada and broadcast live in Canada.
- L (lyrics) -- the lyrics are written entirely by a Canadian.
2. There are four special cases where a musical selection may qualify as Canadian content.
- The musical selection was recorded before January 1972 and meets one of the above conditions.
- It is an instrumental performance of a musical composition written or composed by a Canadian.
- It is a performance of a musical composition that a Canadian has composed for instruments only.
- The musical selection was performed live or recorded after September 1, 1991 and, in addition to meeting the criterion for either artist or production, a Canadian who has collaborated with a non-Canadian receives at least half of the credit for both music and lyrics.
* The MAPL acronym and logo were created by Stan Klees for RPM Weekly and are used by both the English and French sectors of the Canadian music industry.
As of January 18,1971 Canadian radio stations are required to have 30% of their play list as Canadian content, but only between the hours of 6 am and midnight.** This stops the practice of having a "Beaver Hour", which in effect was taking a chunk of unpopular air time (ie 6 - 7 am on a Sunday morning) and playing nothing but Canadian music. That way the rest of the week could be filled with more popuplar American and British music. The new regulations were unpopuplar at first, because broadcasters couldn't play just the 'popular' music all the time and had to play 'inferior' Canadian music. The regulations are still a contentious issue as some feel that because we have popular canadian music that would be in rotation anyways.
** from Alan Cross' "Alternative Music Almanac v1.0"