ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-160

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Route reference: 2013-536

Ottawa, 2 April 2014

Hornby Community Radio Society
Hornby Island, British Columbia

Application 2013-1002-8, received 24 June 2013
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
5 December 2013

Low-power community radio station at Hornby Island

The Commission approvesan application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language community FM radio station atHornby Island, British Columbia.

Application

1. Hornby Community Radio Society (Hornby Community Radio) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language community FM radio station at Hornby Island, British Columbia.

2. Hornby Community Radio is a not-for-profit corporation controlled by its board of directors.

3. The station would operate at 96.5 MHz (channel 243LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 62.4 metres) ^{Footnote 1} and would replace the very low-power, English-language developmental community FM radio station approved in Broadcasting Decision 2010-586.

4. The applicant indicated that the station would broadcast 112 hours of local programming each broadcast week, including 8 hours of spoken word programming consisting of local (90%) and regional (10%) news, coverage of local events and weekly musical shows. The station’s musical programming would be devoted to jazz, blues, pop, rock and dance music, as well as a variety of specialty genres, such as folk and folk-oriented, world beat international and experimental music.

5. With respect to the promotion of local talent, Hornby Community Radio noted that many of the station’s current 40 to 50 DJs were local artists, writers and musicians. The applicant also noted that the station would air programs devoted to local musical and spoken word talent. Local musicians and visiting artists would be encouraged to visit the station to perform live and talk about their work.

6. As regards the use and training of volunteers, the applicant indicated that the station would be entirely operated by volunteers and would offer training in all aspects of its operation. The station would recruit volunteers through on-air advertising and the local newspaper, as well as continue to run a program in the local school to educate children about all aspects of radio.

Interventions

7. The Commission received an intervention in support of the application by the National Campus and Community Radio Association. The Commission also received an intervention by the Province of British Columbia relating to the participation of the station in the National Public Alerting System (NPAS), to which the applicant replied. The public record for this application can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings.”

8. As specified in its three-year plan, the Commission will be looking at measures to ensure the participation of Canadian broadcasters and telecommunications service providers in the NPAS. To this end, in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2014-85, the Commission proposed regulations which would require the participation of broadcasters in the NPAS by 31 December 2014. Therefore, the Commission will not impose conditions of licence requiring the participation of broadcasters in the NPAS at this time. However, the Commission continues to expect all licensees to voluntarily participate in the NPAS so that Canadians receive timely warnings of imminent perils.

Commission’s decision

9. The Commission expects community radio stations to provide programming differing in style and substance from that provided by other elements of the broadcasting system, particularly commercial radio stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Such programming should consist of music, especially Canadian music, not generally heard on commercial stations (including special interest music, as well as styles of popular music seldom broadcast), in-depth spoken word programming and programming targeted to specific groups within the community.

10. The Commission is satisfied that the application complies with the provisions for community radio stations set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Hornby Community Radio Society for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language community FM radio programming undertaking at Hornby Island, British Columbia. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Secretary General

Related documents

• Call for comments on proposed amendments to various regulations, to the standard conditions of licence for video-on-demand undertakings, and to certain exemption orders – Provisions requiring the mandatory distribution of emergency alert messages, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2014-85, 27 February 2014
• Developmental community radio station on Hornby Island, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2010-586, 17 August 2010
• Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010

*This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-160

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for the low-power, English-language community FM radio programming undertaking at Hornby Island, British Columbia

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2020.

The station will operate at 96.5 MHz (channel 243LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 62.4 metres).

The Commission reminds the licensee that pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, this authority will only be effective when the Department of Industry (the Department) notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.

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.

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 2 April 2016. 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.

Conditions of licence

1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions set out in Standard conditions of licence for campus and community stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2012-304, 22 May 2012, as amended from time to time.

Expectation

As set out in Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010, the Commission expects all community and campus licensees to file yearly updates on the composition of their boards of directors. These annual updates can be submitted at the time of submission of annual returns, following annual board of directors’ elections, or at any other time. As noted in Appendix 3 to that regulatory policy, licensees may submit such documentation via the Commission’s website.

Encouragement

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

Date modified:

2014-04-02