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Decision
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Ottawa, 4 November 1985
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Decision CRTC 85-1118
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Télémédia Communications Inc.
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Quebec City, Quebec - 843145400
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Following a Public Hearing in Quebec City on 18 June 1985, the Commission renews the broadcasting licence for CKCV Quebec City from 1 January 1986 to 31 December 1987, subject to the conditions specified in the licence to be issued and in the Technical Construction and Operating Certificate which will be issued by the Department of Communications (DOC).
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In its Notice of Public Hearing CRTC 1985-43 dated 22 April 1985 with respect to the application to renew CKCV's licence, the Commission indicated that it intended to discuss at the bearing the effects of a change in the location of the antenna site and an increase in the transmittr power. These amendments to CKCV's licence were authorized in 1980 (Decision CRTC 80-501 dated 1 August 1980) when the Commission approved an application by the licensee to move the antenna site from Saint-David to Saint-Augustin and to increase the power of the station to 50,000 watts.
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As soon as the station commenced operation at 50,000 watts, the licensee received numerous complaints about interference in its high intensity coverage areas, namely those corresponding to 1 volt per metre and 250 millivolts per metre. At the request of DOC and in order to minimize these interference problems, the licensee reduced the power of the station and has been operating CKCV at 10,000 watts since June 1984. At the 18 June 1985 hearing, however, the licensee stated that it was requesting renewal of CKCV's licence at a power of 50,000 watts.
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At the same hearing, the Town of Cap-Rouge presented an intervention opposing renewal of the licence because of the interference caused by CKCV's signal. The intervener stated [TRANSLATION]: "The Town of Cap-Rouge formally objects to the licence renewal of radio station CKCV both at 50,000 watts and at 10,000 watts, and insists that the antenna be dismantled."
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Moreover, in letters dated 26 April and 3 June 1985, DOC informed the Commission that because of the interference problems that existed when CKCV was operating at 50,000 watts, it would only be willing to renew CKCV's Technical Construction and Operating Certificate at the present site, at the current power of 10,000 watts.
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At the hearing the licensee was invited to respond to the DOC position as stated above and, in a letter to the Commission dated 16 July 1985, CKCV stated that it was willing to study alternative sites for operating at 50kW, provided that certain conditions were met and that it could obtain the co-operation of the parties concerned. The licensee also promised to submit the appropriate technical information to DOC within the coming months and said that in the meantime it could continue to broadcast at 10,000 watts from the Saint-Augustin site.
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Further, the Commission notes that the intervener, the Town of Cap-Rouge, stated at the hearing that its intention was not to make CKCV cease operation, and that it was willing to co-operate with the licensee to find a solution to the problem. The Commission therefore expects the two parties to make every effort to find a mutually satisfactory solution as soon as possible.
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The Commission has, therefore, decided to renew CKCV's licence for a period of two years, subject to the terms and conditions of the technical certificate to be issued by DOC. The Commission expects the licensee to submit a report, within six months of the date of this decision, on its progress in obtaining a technical certificate to operate CKCV at 50,000 watts from a new antenna site to be chosen by the licensee. Once a satisfactory site has been selected, CKCV must submit an application to the Commission to amend its licence.
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In addition the licensee is required to submit to the Commission, within twelve months of the date of this decision, a progress report on the changes to its technical facilities.
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With respect to programming, the Commission notes that the licensee has proposed a significant reduction in the number of newscasts to be broadcast by CKCV (from 13 hours to 8 hours 40 minutes per week) as a result of the elimination of local and network evening newscasts. The licensee also proposed to broadcast a minimal level of news on weekends. This matter was discussed with the licensee at the hearing and the Commission wishes to remind it that information programming is a major responsibility of each broadcaster, particularly in a city as important as Quebec.
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The Commission therefore expects, as a minimum requirement, that CKCV will broadcast the Télémédia network's evening newscasts during the current licence term.
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Fernand Bélisle Secretary General
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