Decision
|
Ottawa, 4 April 1984 |
Decision CRTC 84-343 |
The Colonial Broadcasting System Limited |
Spaniard's Bay - Harbour Grace,Newfoundland - 830573200 |
At a Public Hearing in Halifax on 10 January 1984, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission considered an application by the Colonial Broadcasting System Limited (Colonial) to amend the broadcasting licence for CHVO Spaniard's Bay - Harbour Grace by changing the authorized frequency from 850 kHz to 560 kHz and by increasing the transmitter power from 5,000 to 10,000 watts day and night. |
Colonial stated that one of the purposes of the proposed changes in technical parameters was to extend the CHVO signal to serve the oil rigs off the Newfoundland coast which are manned, in part, by residents of the Conception Bay area. The applicant also indicated that these changes would enable it to provide improved service to communities such as Old Perlican and Grate's Cove to the north, and Whitbourne, to the south-west of Spaniard's Bay. The Commission notes, however, that the changes would provide CHVO with a significant signal in St. John's. |
When the Commission granted the original licence for CHVO Spaniard's Bay - Harbour Grace to Colonial on 28 January 1980 (Decision CRTC 80-51), specific consideration was given to the fact that the proposed programming and technical parameters were designed to provide a broadcasting service clearly oriented to serve the Conception Bay area only, and to eliminate any possible impact on the St. John's market. On two previous occasions, the Commission had denied applications by Colonial to establish a new AM radio station in this area on the grounds that the proposed signal coverage would include St. John's, and impact on the viability of existing stations in that market (Decisions CRTC 77-477 and 78-593). |
In Decision CRTC 82-1008 dated 17 November 1982, the Commission denied an application by this licensee to change the frequency of CHVO to 560 kHz, again on the basis that the increased coverage of the CHVO signal would include St. John's, and that this might have an effect on the stations in that city. |
Following the January 1984 hearing, the Commission has again considered carefully the applicant's reasons for the requested changes in CHVO's technical parameters. However, the Commission is not convinced that the need to provide a service from Conception Bay to oil rigs some 250 kilometres east of St. John's is sufficient to permit the applicant, who is also the licensee of VOCM and VOCM-FM St. John's, to have three strong signals in that market. Moreover, the Commission does not consider a Conception Bay radio station to be the most suitable means of providing broadcast services to the oil rigs. With respect to improved service to neighbouring communities, the Commission notes that this objective could be achieved through the establishment of low-power rebroadcasters. |
The Commission also acknowledges the intervention presented at the January 1984 hearing by CHUM Limited in opposition to the current application, claiming that the proposal would " ... substantially increase the signal strength of CHVO Spaniards Bay - Harbour Grace into the St. John's area and would ... greatly affect the financial viability of our Radio Stations in St. John's, CJYQ-AM, and our newly-established FM Radio Station, CKIX-FM". The Commission notes that CHVO has the same station format (Country) as CKIX-FM. |
In view of the foregoing, and taking into account the technical developments currently underway with respect to the reception of satellite signals, the Commission denies the application by Colonial to change the authorized frequency, and increase the transmitter power of CHVO Spaniard's Bay - Harbour Grace. |
J.G. Patenaude Secretary General |
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