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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-106 |
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Ottawa, 16 May 2008 |
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Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
Pickle Lake and Thunder Bay, Ontario |
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Application 2007-0922-2, received 19 June 2007
Broadcasting Public Hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia
25 February 2008 |
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Christian spoken word and music FM station in Pickle Lake and a transmitter in Thunder Bay |
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The Commission approves the application by Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada for a broadcasting licence to operate an English- and Aboriginal-language, Specialty low-power FM commercial radio programming undertaking in Pickle Lake and a transmitter in Thunder Bay. The station will broadcast Christian spoken word and music programming. The transmitter will broadcast in its entirety programming originating from Pickle Lake. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision. |
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The Commission received interventions in support of this application. |
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The proposed service |
3. |
In its first years of operation, the station will broadcast, on average, 40 hours of local, station-produced programming per week. The applicant anticipates increasing the number of hours of local programming over the licence term, as resources permit. The balance of the station's weekly programming will consist of spoken word and music programming made available through other Native and Christian radio networks and stations. |
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At start up, 75% of the programming will be in English and 25% will be in Aboriginal languages: Cree, Ojibway and Oji-Cree. The applicant's goal is to increase Aboriginal-language programming from 25% to 50% over the licence term. |
5. |
The station will operate in the Specialty format and will devote a minimum of 80% of all music broadcast each week to music drawn from subcategory 35 (Non-classic religious), as defined in Public Notice 2000-14. |
6. |
Upon commencement of operations, the station will devote a minimum of 25% (31 hours) of the broadcast week to spoken word programming. The applicant intends to increase spoken word programming over the licence term to approximately 50% of the broadcast week, as resources permit. Local reflection spoken word programming will include local news and surveillance material such as weather and community events information plus long form programming devoted to cultural activities and local current events. |
7. |
The applicant plans to offer some open-line programming. It made a commitment to comply fully with the policy regarding open-line programming set out in Public Notice 1988-213. |
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The applicant will also offer up to 25 hours per week of religious programming, as defined in Public Notice 1993-78 (Religious Broadcasting Policy). In that public notice, the Commission noted mechanisms that would assist licensees who broadcast religious programming to fulfil their obligation to provide balance in their programming, including searching out alternative points of view and providing access to other local faith groups. In accordance with its usual practice, the Commission is imposing a condition of licence, as set out in the appendix to this decision, regarding the provision of balance and ethics in religious programming. |
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Canadian content development |
9. |
In Broadcasting Public Notice 2006-158 (Commercial Radio Policy), the Commission set out a new approach to the development and promotion of Canadian artists. In order to reflect a new emphasis on development initiatives that lead to the creation of audio content for broadcast using Canadian resources, the Commission replaced the expression "Canadian talent development" (CTD) with "Canadian content development" (CCD). Under the new policy, each radio station holding a commercial radio licence is required to make a basic annual CCD contribution based on its total broadcast revenues in the previous broadcast year. This requirement will be reflected in the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations). Until such time, it will be implemented by a transitional condition of licence, as set out in the appendix to this decision. This condition of licence will expire upon the coming into force of the amendments to the Regulations. |
10. |
The Commission notes that the applicant projects to generate minimal revenues from the community of Pickle Lake. For this reason, the applicant committed to make the basic annual contribution to CCD but did not make any commitments over and above this basic amount. |
11. |
The Commission reminds the applicant that any development initiatives that have not been allocated to specific parties by condition of licence must be allocated to the support, promotion, training and development of Canadian musical and spoken word talent, including journalists. Parties and initiatives eligible for CCD funding are identified in paragraph 108 of Broadcasting Public Notice 2006-158. |
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Secretary General |
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Related documents |
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- Commercial Radio Policy 2006, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-158, 15 December 2006
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- Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Public Notice CRTC 2000-14, 28 January 2000
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- Religious Broadcasting Policy, Public Notice CRTC 1993-78, 3 June 1993
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- Policy regarding open-line programming, Public Notice CRTC 1988-213, 23 December 1988
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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 examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca. |
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Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-106 |
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Terms, conditions of licence and encouragement |
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Terms |
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Issuance of the broadcasting licence to operate an English- and Aboriginal-language, low-power Specialty FM commercial radio programming undertaking to broadcast Christian spoken word and music programming in Pickle Lake and a transmitter in Thunder Bay, Ontario |
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The licence will expire 31 August 2014. |
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The station in Pickle Lake will operate at 96.5 MHz (channel 243LP) with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50 watts. |
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The transmitter in Thunder Bay will operate at 98.1 MHz (channel 251LP) with an ERP of 50 watts. |
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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. |
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The Commission reminds the applicant 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. |
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Given that the technical parameters approved in this decision are for a low-power unprotected FM service, the Commission also reminds the applicant that it will have to select another frequency if the Department so requires. |
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Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will be issued once the applicant 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 16 May 2010. 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. |
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Conditions of licence |
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1. The licence shall be subject to the conditions set out in New licence form for commercial radio stations, Public Notice CRTC 1999-137, 24 August 1999, with the exception of conditions of licence 5 and 8.
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2. The station shall be operated within the Specialty format, as defined in Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Public Notice CRTC 2000-14, 28 January 2000 and A Review of certain matters concerning radio, Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, 21 April 1995, as amended from time to time.
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3. A minimum of 80% of all musical selections broadcast during each broadcast week shall be devoted to selections drawn from subcategory 35 (Non-classic religious).
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4. Where the licensee broadcasts religious programming as defined in Religious Broadcasting Policy, Public Notice CRTC 1993-78, 3 June 1993, the licensee shall adhere to the guidelines set out in sections III. B.2.a) and IV of that public notice with respect to the provision of balance and ethics in religious programming, as amended from time to time.
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5. The licensee shall, upon commencement of operations, make a basic annual contribution to Canadian content development (CCD). The amount of the contribution shall be determined in accordance with the policy set out in Commercial Radio Policy 2006, Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-158, 15 December 2006 (Broadcasting Public Notice 2006-158), as amended from time to time.
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The licensee shall allocate 60% of this basic annual CCD contribution to FACTOR or to MUSICACTION.
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The remainder of the annual basic contribution shall be allocated to parties and initiatives fulfilling the definition of eligible initiatives in Broadcasting Public Notice 2006-158.
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This condition of licence shall expire upon the coming into force of the amendments to the Radio Regulations, 1986 relating to CCD.
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Encouragement |
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In accordance with Implementation of an employment equity policy, Public Notice 1992-59, 1 September 1992, 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. |
Date Modified: 2008-05-16 |