ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2010-33
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| Route reference: 2009-567 | |
| Ottawa, 26 January 2010 | |
| United Christian Broadcasters Canada Belleville and Cobourg, Ontario | |
| Application 2009-0943-4, received 23 June 2009 | |
CKJJ-FM Belleville – Licence amendment | |
| The Commission denies the application to amend the broadcasting licence for the specialty commercial FM radio station CKJJ-FM Belleville in order to change the frequency and increase the average effective radiated power of its Cobourg transmitter. | |
The application | |
| 1. | The Commission received an application by United Christian Broadcasters Canada to amend the broadcasting licence for the specialty commercial FM radio programming undertaking CKJJ-FM Belleville in order to change the frequency of its Cobourg transmitter from 100.9 MHz (channel 265LP) to 90.7 MHz (channel 214A1) and to increase the average effective radiated power (ERP) from 42 to 250 watts. The proposed power increase would change the transmitter's status from that of a low-power, unprotected transmitter to that of a regular Class A1 transmitter. The Commission received several interventions in support of the application, as well as a comment by an individual. The interventions are available on the Commission's website at www.crtc.gc.ca under "Public Proceedings." |
| 2. | The licensee stated that the purpose of the application was to ensure the continuity of its service to the Cobourg/Port Hope area given the Commission's decision to authorize My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to use frequency 100.9 MHz (channel 265A) in Broadcasting Decision 2009-277. The licensee also stated that the application was part of a plan to serve the 401 corridor. |
Commission's analysis and determinations | |
| 3. | In Broadcasting Decision 2007-24, the Commission approved an application to amend the broadcasting licence for CKJJ-FM Belleville in order to add a transmitter in Cobourg. CKJJ-FM offers a niche Christian music service. While some news and programs about local activities and events pertain to Cobourg, all programming originates from Belleville and no local programming broadcast is exclusive to Cobourg. Because the licensee did not propose to broadcast local programming exclusive to Cobourg, the Commission was satisfied that the transmitter would have minimal financial impact on the market. |
| 4. | The Commission notes that it has received similar applications involving low-power services seeking protected status on a number of occasions. In past decisions, the Commission noted that when the licensee of a low-power station files an application to change its operating class to that of a higher powered, protected station, it should present compelling evidence that its authorized technical parameters were not adequate to provide the service as it was originally proposed. In the present case, the Commission notes that the transmitter's currently authorized low-power technical parameters were considered an appropriate means of providing service to the area and commensurate with the operation of a transmitter in a highly populated region with a scarcity of frequencies. In the Commission's view, the use of the proposed frequency to offer a specialized, niche format such as a Christian music service without local content would not represent the best use of the frequency, particularly given the availability of other low-power channels. |
| 5. | In light of the above, the Commission denies the application by United Christian Broadcasters Canada to amend the broadcasting licence for the specialty commercial FM radio programming undertaking CKJJ-FM Belleville in order to change the frequency of its Cobourg transmitter from 100.9 MHz (channel 265LP) to 90.7 MHz (channel 214A1) and to increase the average ERP from 42 to 250 watts. |
| 6. | The Commission notes that in Broadcasting Decision 2009-277, it granted a licence to MBC for a station using the frequency 100.9 MHz. In order to ensure the continuity of the service to Cobourg provided by United Christian Broadcasters Canada, the Commission proposes to treat any application by the licensee for an alternative low-power frequency as expeditiously as possible. |
| Secretary General | |
Related documents | |
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| This decision 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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