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Ottawa, 20 May 1993
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Decision CRTC 93-166
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La Radio Communautaire des Hauts Plateaux Incorporée
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Kedgwick/Saint-Quentin, New Brunswick - 921324000
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Following a Public Hearing in Moncton beginning on 17 February 1993, the Commission approves the application for authority to acquire the assets of the Type A community radio programming undertaking CFAI-FM-2 Kedgwick/Saint-Quentin from La Coopérative des Montagnes Limitée, and for a broadcasting licence to continue the operation of this undertaking, under the same terms and conditions as the current licence with the exception of the proposed amendments referred to below.
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The Commission will issue a licence to La Radio Communautaire des Hauts Plateaux Incorporée, expiring 31 August 1999, upon surrender of the current licence. The licence will be subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.
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The price of the transaction is $120,000. Based on the evidence filed with the application, the Commission has no concerns with respect to the availability or the adequacy of the required financing and is satisfied with the benefits flowing from this transaction. Moreover, the Commission is of the view that approval of this application is in the public interest.
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The application included several proposals to amend the station's licence. The Commission approves the applicant's proposal to increase its production of local programming from 32 hours 40 minutes to 62 hours per broadcast week. In addition to this local program production, the station will broadcast 58 hours of programming originating from CFAI-FM Edmundston and CFAI-FM-1 Grand-Sault.
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It is a condition of licence that the licensee not reduce the proposed level of local program production by more than 20%.
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The applicant proposed to broadcast 18 hours (15%) of spoken word programming focusing primarily on the community. This would include 40 minutes of local news, 25 minutes of regional news, a press review, interviews, a program on health issues, features on artists, and recollections of historical events by area residents.
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The Commission notes that the applicant proposes to broadcast a minimum of 6.6% Category 3 music (Traditional and Special Interest) as a percentage of overall music programming.
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In its policy for community and campus radio issued in May 1992, the Commission announced that there would be no limit on advertising by Type A community stations. Accordingly, the Commission approves the applicant's request to delete the existing condition of licence limiting advertising to 20% of the station's total broadcast time.
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The Commission also approves the applicant's request to delete the condition of licence prohibiting the station from soliciting advertising in the province of Quebec. The Commission is of the view that deleting this condition will have a negligible effect on the advertising base of neighbouring Quebec stations.
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In view of the approval of the transfer of ownership for the station, the Commission deletes the condition of licence relating to the simultaneous operation of stations CFAI-FM Edmundston, CFAI-FM-1 Grand-Sault, and CFAI-FM-2 Kedgwick/Saint-Quentin.
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In the May 1992 policy statement on community radio, the Commission encouraged community stations to continue the on-air promotion of local artists. To that end, the applicant committed to broadcast programs featuring local artists exclusively, the production of a concert featuring local amateur artists, and to broadcast an annual telethon featuring local talent.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Implementation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. It considers that community radio stations should be particularly sensitive to this issue in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the licensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.
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It is a condition of licence that the applicant adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) "Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming", as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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It is also a condition of licence that the applicant adhere to the provisions of the CAB's "Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children", as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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The Commission acknowledges the interventions by the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada Inc., the Association des radios communautaires acadiennes du Nouveau-Brunswick, and the Village of Kedgwick in support of this application. The Commission also acknowledges the intervention filed by the Municipality of Saint-Quentin outlining its concerns with respect to the operation of the station and is satisfied with the applicant's reply to the intervention.
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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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