ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-422

Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-422

Ottawa, 10 December 2002

Assiniboine Campus-Community Radio Society Inc.
Brandon, Manitoba

Application 2002-0243-2
Public Hearing in the National Capital Region
12 August 2002

New community-based campus FM radio station

The application

1.

The Commission received an application byAssiniboine Campus-Community Radio Society Inc. (Assiniboine) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language FM community-based campus radio programming undertaking in Brandon, Manitoba.

Programming

2.

Assiniboine indicated that the new station would broadcast an average of 126 hours of programming during each broadcast week¹, including 16% of the broadcast week to be devoted to programming produced by students to fulfil course requirements. The applicant stated that the station would provide spoken word programming and alternative music including an eclectic mix of jazz, folk, classical, worldbeat and cutting edge new music from other popular musical genres.

3.

According to Assiniboine, the majority of its programming would originate in-house and would be written, produced and performed by volunteer talent. Assiniboine is considering joint venture program arrangements with other campus and community stations across the country in order to rebroadcast these stations' programs. The applicant stated that it would not exceed 10 hours of this type of programming in any broadcast week.

4.

The local programming would consist of news, local amateur sports, interviews, and commentaries. It would also include a phone-in forum for listeners. In order to adhere to the Policy regarding open-line programming, Public Notice CRTC 1988-213, 23 December 1988 (Public Notice 1988-213), the applicant would implement a delay system of seven seconds and the station would have a trained broadcast technician available.

Local talent promotion and volunteer recruitment

5.

To promote new local talent, the applicant stated that it would agree to:

• record local talent at concerts, high school dances, and community centres;

• provide venues at no cost for local performers to record and produce demo recordings; and

• showcase, on a weekly basis, various local musicians regardless of genre.

6.

The applicant would recruit its volunteers through various means including hourly broadcast announcements and advertisements in daily and weekly newspapers. The training of these volunteers would include classroom sessions as well as a minimum of 5 hours of control room and production studio orientation. The volunteer staff positions at the station would consist of Station Manager, Volunteer Co-ordinator and Spoken Word Co-ordinator.

7.

Assiniboine confirmed that the licence is to be held by a not-for-profit corporation, under the laws of Manitoba, whose structure provides for membership, management, operation and programming with balanced representation from the student body, representatives from the college (i.e., faculty or administration), station volunteers and members of the community at large. The board of directors will be ultimately responsible for ensuring that the licensee adheres to the Radio Regulations, 1986 and the station's conditions of licence.

Interventions

8.

The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.

The Commission's Determination

9.

In Campus radio policy, Public Notice CRTC 2000-12, 28 January 2000 (Public Notice 2000-12), the Commission stated, among other things, that a campus radio station's role is to provide access to the airwaves and to offer alternative programming that reflects the diverse elements of the communities it is licensed to serve.

10.

Based on its examination of this application, the Commission is satisfied that licensing the proposed service is consistent with the objectives of the campus radio policy and in conformity with all of the applicable terms and conditions for community-based campus radio stations announced in Public Notice 2000-12.

11.

Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Assiniboine for a broadcasting licence to operate a community-based English-language campus FM radio station in Brandon.

12.

The station will operate at a frequency of 106.5 MHz (channel 293A) with an effective radiated power of 930 watts.

13.

The licence will expire 31 August 2009 and will be subject to the conditions set out in New licence form for campus radio stations, Public Notice CRTC 2000-156, 16 November 2000 as well as the following condition of licence:

• The licensee shall adhere to the Policy regarding open-line programming as outlined in CRTC Public Notice 1988-213.

14.

The Department of Industry (the Department) has advised the Commission that, while this application is conditionally technically acceptable, it will only issue a broadcasting certificate when it has determined that the proposed technical parameters will not create any unacceptable interference with aeronautical NAV/COM services.

15.

The Commission reminds the licensee that, pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, no licence may be issued until the Department notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met, and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.

16.

Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will be issued once the licensee has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations. The undertaking must be operational at the earliest possible date and in any event no later than 24 months from the date of this decision, unless a request for an extension of time is approved by the Commission before 10 December 2002. In order to ensure that such a request is processed in a timely manner, it should be submitted at least 60 days before this date.

The Commission considers that campus radio stations should be particularly sensitive to employment equity issues in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the applicant to consider these issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

Secretary General

This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca