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Ottawa, 29 September 1993
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Decision CRTC 93-634
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Don Crockford (Algonquin College), on behalf of a company to be incorporated
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Nepean, Ontario - 930292800
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New campus instructional radio station
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Following a Public Hearing in the National Capital Region beginning on 6 July 1993, the Commission approves the application for a broadcasting licence for an English-language campus instructional FM radio programming undertaking at Nepean, on the frequency 96.9 MHz, channel 245, with an effective radiated power of 8 watts.
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The Commission will issue a licence expiring 31 August 2000, for a campus instructional radio station. This licence will be subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1992-38 dated 29 May 1992 entitled "Policies for Community and Campus Radio", campus stations are defined as those owned or controlled by a not-for-profit organization associated with a post-secondary educational institution. Additionally, a campus instructional station has the training of professional broadcasters as its primary objective.
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The new station will be the fourth campus instructional FM station in Canada. The Commission expects instructional radio to provide alternative programming to their audiences while providing a training ground for broadcasters. The proposed service will provide over-the-air broadcast experience to approximately 50 students per year.
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In this regard, Algonquin College currently operates a closed circuit service through its radio broadcast training program. Despite its restricted coverage area, the applicant proposes to provide a minimum 25% spoken word programming. "Algonquin Today" features documentaries produced by students. "Indie Ottawa" focuses on local musicians in a music/interview format and promotes Canadian talent development by providing access to artists who have not achieved commercial success.
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Campus stations should provide programming that is complementary, not only to that of commercial stations, but also to that of community stations and other campus stations operating in the same location. Ottawa/Hull is currently served by CHUO-FM (University of Ottawa) and CKCU-FM (Carleton University). The 8-watt service will be restricted to the immediate vicinity of the Woodroffe campus area of Algonquin College only. The applicant has stated that it has no intention of applying in the future to become a campus community station, since "...A third campus/community station would have drastic consequences for CHUO and CKCU". The licensee "will remain a low-power FM instructional station".
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In Public Notice CRTC 1992-38, Section 15 "Low-Power Stations" states:
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The campus radio policy will generally apply to all campus stations regardless of their power. On a case-by-case basis, however, the Commission is willing to exercise flexibility when dealing with applications for stations of low power whose signals would only serve the campus of the associated university or college.
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As a part of this application, and based on Section 15 of Public Notice CRTC 1992-38, the applicant has requested flexibility in three areas: Educational programming, Hits, and the amount of Sub-Category 21 Music - Pop, Rock, and Dance. The Commission hereby approves in part the licensee's request.
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In its Public Notice CRTC 1992-38, the Commission stated that campus instructional stations should devote at least 2 hours per week to educational programming. The applicant has stated that the station will only broadcast to the Woodroffe campus, and the audience will be comprised of students taking credit courses, thereby eliminating the need for educational programming. Due to the very limited service area proposed, the Commission hereby approves the applicant's request that this requirement not apply to it.
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Public Notice CRTC 1992-38 also specifies that the level of hits broadcast each week should not exceed 30% on instructional stations. The applicant has requested flexibility to program up to 49% hits weekly. The applicant argued that the level of hits requested is similar to that required on all commercial FM stations, and would allow students to understand how to make this important CRTC policy work in the "real world". The Commission is not convinced, however, that a level of 30% hits rather than 49% hits would seriously impede the training process of students. It also notes that the CBC and a number of other radio stations employing professional broadcasters do not emphasize hit selections in their programming. The Commission, therefore, denies the applicant's request for flexibility in this area and it is a condition of licence that the level of hits broadcast each week shall not exceed 30%.
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Public Notice CRTC 1992-38 also stated that at least 20% of the music broadcast on campus instructional stations should be drawn from subcategories of category 2 other than "Pop, Rock and Dance". As a part of this application, the applicant is seeking flexibility in proposing a level of 15%. Given the extremely limited range of the
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signal, the Commission approves the applicant's request. The Commission will review this commitment with the licensee at the time of licence renewal.
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In Public Notice CRTC 1993-38 dated 19 April 1993 entitled "Policies for Local Programming on Commercial Radio Stations and Advertising on Campus Stations", the Commission announced a revision of its policy regarding advertising on campus stations. Because of the applicant's plans to broadcast only 75 hours per week, the Commission authorizes it, by condition of licence, to broadcast a maximum of 300 minutes of advertising per broadcast week, with a maximum of four minutes in any one hour. Of this weekly total, a maximum of 75 minutes of conventional advertising will be permitted. All other advertising broadcast must conform to the definition of restricted advertising set out in Public Notice CRTC 1993-38.
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With regard to the hours of broadcast, and as outlined in Public Notice CRTC 1992-38, campus stations may increase or reduce their hours of broadcast by up to 20% without application to the Commission, provided they meet the minimum percentage commitments set out in their Promise of Performance. The applicant is reminded that any increase or decrease in the hours of broadcast beyond the 20% level requires authorization by the Commission.
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It is a condition of licence that the applicant retain full control over all decisions concerning the management and programming of this station and that representatives of the student body, faculty, alumni or administration representatives of the university or college with which the station is associated, considered together, form the majority of the board of directors. In addition, the Commission reminds the applicant that, in accordance with the requirements of the "Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility to Hold Broadcasting Licences)", the chairman or other presiding officer and each of the directors or other similar officers of the licensee must be Canadian citizens.
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The Department of Communications (DOC) has advised the Commission that this application is conditionally technically acceptable, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will only be issued once it has been determined that the proposed technical parameters will not create any unacceptable interference with aeronautical NAV/COM services.
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In accordance with subsection 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, the Commission will only issue the licence, and the authority granted herein may only be implemented, at such time as written notification is received from the DOC that its technical requirements have been met, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will be issued.It is a condition of licence that construction of this undertaking be completed and that it be in operation within twelve months of the date of receipt of the DOC notification referred to in the preceding paragraph or, where the applicant applies to the Commission within this period and satisfies the Commission that it cannot complete implementation before the expiry of this period and that an extension is in the public interest, within such further period of time as is approved in writing by the Commission. 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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Allan J. Darling
Secretary General
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