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Ottawa, 14 October 1986
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Decision CRTC 86-1019
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Twin Cities Radio Ltd. Quesnel, Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, British Columbia - 841103500 - 860303700 - 860302900
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Radio Station CKPG Limited Quesnel, British Columbia - 860341700Related document
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Decision CRTC 86-476 dated 29 May 1986.
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Following a Public Hearing in Vancouver on 8 July 1986, the Commission approves the application by Twin Cities Radio Ltd. (Twin Cities) for a broadcasting licence for an English-language FM radio station at Quesnel on the frequency 94.9 MHz, channel 235, with an effective radiated power of 175 watts.
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The competing application by Radio Station CKPG Limited (CKPG) for a licence to operate an FM undertaking at Quesnel is denied. The Commission considers that CKPG's proposal to rebroadcast the programs of CIOI-FM Prince George has less merit than that of Twin Cities which will offer Quesnel listeners a certain amount of locally-originated programming.
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The Commission will issue a licence expiring 30 September 1990, subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.
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The Commision also approves the applications by Twin Cities to amend the licences for CIFM-FM (now CFFMFM) Williams Lake and CFFM-FM-5 100 Mile House by changing the program source from CFJC Kamloops to studios located at Williams Lake and Quesnel in the case of CFFM-FM, and to CFFM-FM Williams Lake in the case of CFFM-FM-5. The Commission notes that these amendments will take effect once the new studios are operational.
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The Commission's approval of the three applications will enable Twin Cities to provide a comprehensive and "fully local Cariboo service with studios at Williams Lake and Quesnel". The Commission is satisfied that Twin Cities has demonstrated that there is a market and demand for the new service and that it can contribute to the diversity of radio programming in the area while repatriating listeners and advertisers from out-of-market stations. In reaching its decision, the Commission has taken into account the broadcasting experience of Twin Cities' owners, the facilities and resources at the licensee's disposal, and its unconditional commitment that "should the Cariboo project fail to produce a break-even or profitable position, it will be supported by our other operations on a continuing basis".
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At the hearing, the applicant emphasized the close ties between the communities of Quesnel, Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, and its intention to provide a "Cariboo country FM operation". This proposed new service will be implemented in three stages.
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First, a new transmitter to be established at Quesnel will rebroadcast the programming of CFJC, which is operated in the country music format. At the hearing, Twin Cities indicated that this transmitter would be operational "within two weeks of the appropriate licence approvals".
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In the second phase, the applicant will build and staff new studios at Williams Lake. At this point, Williams Lake will provide the Quesnel and 100 Mile House operations with country music (Group III) programming "supplemented by a strong news service, local information and interesting mosaic and foreground features". The planned implementation date for the Williams Lake phase is late spring 1987.
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The program "Cariboo Connection" is to be a cornerstone of Twin Cities' service, providing "a sounding board, a forum and a stage for Cariboo interests, communication and local musical talent". It is "the open-line talk-show discussion format, magazine show, musical show,... a potpourri of Cariboo interests" to be broadcast weekday mornings between 9 and 10 a.m., initially from the Williams Lake studios.
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In phase three, the licensee will establish studios and hire additional staff at Quesnel for the production of 30 hours per week of separate Quesnel programming and half of the "Cariboo Connection" programs. The target date for commencement of the Quesnel service is late spring 1988. The licensee confirmed that the amount of programming originating from Quesnel would increase to not less than 50 hours per week by the end of the licence term, excluding "Cariboo Connection" programming.
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Cariboo Broadcasters Limited (CBL), licensee of CKCQ Quesnel, CKWL Williams Lake and CKBX 100 Mile House, appeared at the hearing to oppose Twin Cities' Cariboo project on the grounds that such a service would fragment the market at a time when the economy is depressed and that it would have a negative impact on CBL. The Commission has considered the intervener's views but, given that the service will be implemented over a period of time, it is satisfied that CBL can sustain the impact of the new service and that the benefits to the communities involved outweigh the intervener's concerns.
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At the hearing, the Commission noted that the licensee's foreground programming as proposed appeared to be entirely music-based. Responding to this concern, the licensee confirmed that its minimum Promise of Performance commitment did not include the foreground segments of "Cariboo Connection".
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In the important area of Canadian talent development, the licensee has allocated an annual budget of $5,000 for the production of musical segments of "Cariboo Connection" which will feature local and regional performers once a month. Twin Cities has also committed an annual contribution of $1,000 to the support of Canadian talent and indicated that its participation in FACTOR/CTL was under discussion.
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It is a condition of the Quesnel licence that construction of the transmitter be completed and that it be in operation within six months of the date of this decision, with local studios to be established and originating programming within two years of the date of this decision, or such further periods as the Commission may, upon receipt of a request for extension before the expiry of the said time periods, deem appropriate under the circumstances.
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Approval of the amendment to the Williams Lake licence is conditional on the new studio facilities being complete and in operation within twelve months of the date of this decision or such further period as the Commission may, upon receipt of a request for extension before the expiry of the said twelve months, deem appropriate under the circumstances.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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