ARCHIVED - Decision CRTC 2000-136
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Decision CRTC 2000-136 |
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Ottawa, 1 May 2000 |
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Central Broadcasting Company Limited Prince Albert, Saskatchewan – 199909868 |
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21 February 2000 Public Hearing in Vancouver |
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| New FM radio programming undertaking | |
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The Commission approves the application for a broadcasting licence to carry on an English-language FM radio programming undertaking at Prince Albert. |
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Subject to the requirements of this decision, the Commission will issue a licence expiring 31 August 2005. This licence will be subject to the conditions specified in the licence to be issued. |
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Central Broadcasting Company Limited is the only commercial radio operator in Prince Albert. It is the licensee of CKBI Prince Albert, which offers a middle-of-the-road music format, and CFMM-FM Prince Albert, which broadcasts a contemporary music format. The new FM station will offer a country music format. |
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In support of its application, Central Broadcasting stated that the station will improve the radio service available in Prince Albert. It added that this smaller community could not support two independent radio operators. |
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The Commission notes that this application falls within the scope of the policy on the common ownership of radio stations established in Public Notice CRTC 1998-41 entitled Commercial Radio Policy, 1998. According to that policy, in markets with less than eight commercial radio stations operating in a given language, a single licensee may be permitted to own or control as many as three stations operating in that language with a maximum of two stations in any one frequency band. |
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The station will broadcast local news, weather and sports targeted to a country music audience, as well as public service announcements. Central Broadcasting's investment in a fully-equipped mobile broadcast unit will enable the station to broadcast live from community events. |
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Central Broadcasting indicated that it will broadcast at least 40% Canadian popular music (category 2) over the broadcast week and between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. This level exceeds the 35% Canadian content for category 2 music required by the Radio Regulations, 1986. The Commission encourages the applicant to achieve this 40% level. |
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Central Broadcasting will build a recording studio as part of its new FM facilities. The studio will be used for "in-house" station productions. The applicant will also make the recording facility available to local artists from Prince Albert and surrounding area. |
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Interventions |
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Radio CJVR Ltd., licensee of CJVR Melfort, Saskatchewan, filed an opposing intervention arguing that approval would discourage competition in the Prince Albert radio market for many years because Central Broadcasting would own all the radio stations in that community. The intervener contended that the Commission should defer consideration of this item and issue a call for applications for a third, local radio station in Prince Albert. |
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The Commission agrees with Central Broadcasting's response that its application falls within the exceptions set out in Public Notice CRTC 1999-111 entitled The issuance of calls for radio applications. In that public notice, the Commission stated that applications for new radio stations would generally trigger a call for competing applications in the affected market except in the circumstances described in the notice. As one of the exceptions to that general rule, the Commission cited proposals by the sole commercial operator in a market to improve service to that market through a new station. The Commission stated that it would not be in public interest to delay implementation of an improvement in service. |
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The Commission acknowledges the two letters submitted in support of this application. |
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Other matters |
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The Commission notes that this licensee is subject to the Employment Equity Act that came into effect on 24 October 1996 (1996 EEA), and therefore files reports concerning employment equity with Human Resources Development Canada. |
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The licence will only be issued and effective when the new station is ready to begin operation. When the licensee has completed construction and is prepared to commence operation, it must advise the Commission in writing. If the station is not constructed and ready to operate within 12 months of today’s date, extensions to this time frame may be granted provided that the licensee applies in writing to the Commission before the 12-month period or any extension of that period expires. |
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As proposed, the new FM station will operate on the frequency 101.5 MHz, channel 268C1, with an effective radiated power of 100,000 watts. |
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The Department of Industry has advised the Commission that this application is conditionally technically acceptable. The Department will only issue a broadcasting certificate once it has determined that the proposed technical parameters will not create any unacceptable interference with aeronautical NAV/COM services. |
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In accordance with section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, the Commission will only issue the licence and grant the authority to operate when it receives notification from the Department of Industry that its technical requirements have been met, and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued. |
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Related CRTC documents
• Public Notice CRTC 1999-137 – New licence form for commercial radio stations |
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Secretary General |
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| This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be viewed at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca |
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