ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 98-472

Decision

Ottawa, 29 September 1998

Decision CRTC 98-472

Radio Mégantic ltée

Thetford Mines, Quebec - 199801212

Conversion of CKLD to FM

1.  Following a Public Hearing in the National Capital Region held on 11 August 1998, the Commission approves the application by Radio Mégantic ltée (the licensee) for a broadcasting licence for a French-language FM radio programming undertaking at Thetford Mines, on the frequency 105.5 MHz, channel 288A, with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. The new station will replace the licensee's existing AM undertaking, CKLD Thetford Mines.

2.  The Commission will issue a licence to Radio Mégantic ltée, expiring 31 August 2002. The licence will be subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued. The licence term granted herein, while less than the maximum of seven years permitted under the Broadcasting Act, will enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence in accordance with the Commission's regional plan.

3.  In addition to CKLD, the licensee operates a transmitter of that station, CJLP Disraeli. In its application, the licensee indicated that it would cease operation of this transmitter, if technical studies indicated that the new FM station provided adequate coverage to the Thetford Mines market. If, however, these studies revealed the signal to be inadequate, it would continue to operate the transmitter and examine possible solutions. The Commission expects the licensee to submit a report in its regard, within six months of the conversion of the station.

4.  The licensee requested authority to simulcast the programming of CKLD on the the new FM station for a period of one month. Accordingly, the licensee is authorized, by condition of licence, to simulcast for a period of one month from the date of implementation of the new station. At the end of this period, the Commission expects the licensee to surrender CKLD's licence, for cancellation by the Commission.

5.  The licensee indicated that the new FM station would provide programming identical to that currently broadcast by CKLD. The licensee also made a commitment to broadcast a minimum of 42 hours of local programming per broadcast week.

6.  It is a condition of licence that this station not be operated within the Specialty format as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, or as amended from time to time by the Commission.

7.  The licensee is required, by condition of licence, to make payments to third parties involved in Canadian talent development at the level identified for it in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) Distribution Guidelines for Canadian Talent Development, as set out in Public Notice CRTC 1995-196 or as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission, and to report the names of the third parties associated with Canadian talent development, together with the amounts paid to each, concurrently with its annual return. The payments required under this condition of licence are over and above any outstanding commitments to Canadian talent development offered as benefits in an application to acquire ownership or control of the undertaking.

8.  It is a condition of licence that the licensee adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the CAB's Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming, as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.

9.  It is also a condition of licence that the licensee adhere to the provisions of the CAB's Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children, as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission.

10.  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. In this regard, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

11.  This authority will only be effective and the licence will only be issued at such time as construction of the undertaking is completed and it is prepared to commence operation. If the construction is not completed within twelve months of the date of this decision or, where the applicant applies to the Commission within this period and satisfies the Commission that it cannot complete construction and commence operation before the expiry of this period, and that an extension of time is in the public interest, within such further periods of time as are approved in writing by the Commission, the licence will not be issued. The applicant is required to advise the Commission (before the expiry of the twelve-month period or any extension thereof) in writing, once it has completed construction and is prepared to commence operation.

12.  The Department of Industry 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.

13.  In accordance with subsection 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, the Commission will only issue the licence and the authority will only be granted at such time as written notification is received from the Department of Industry that its technical requirements have been met, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will be issued.

14.  The Commission acknowledges the intervention submitted by l'Association québécoise de l'industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo (ADISQ) and the licensee's reply thereto.

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Laura M. Talbot-Allan
Secretary General

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