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Ottawa, 10 December 1986
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Decision CRTC 86-1186
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Michel Montminy, representing a society to be incorporated
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Montmagny, Quebec - 861062800
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Following a Public Hearing in Quebec City on 9 September 1986, a majority of the members of the Commission approves the application for a broadcasting licence for an FM radio station at Montmagny on the frequency 102.1 MHz (channel 271B), with an effective radiated power of 8,740 watts.
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The Commission will issue a licence to the society to be incorporated, expiring 30 September 1991, subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued. This authority will only be effective at such time as the Commission receives documentation establishing that the society has been incorporated in accordance with the application in all material respects.
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The application proposes to offer a local FM service to Montmagny and the surrounding area to make up for the loss in August 1983 of the AM radio service which had been provided for over 30 years by station CKBM Montmagny. Following a series of administrative and legal problems, the licensee company of CKBM went into bankruptcy in April 1984 and, as the Commission did not receive a renewal application, CKBM's licence expired on 30 September 1986.
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In approving this application, the Commission has taken into account the fact that it is a modest proposal with realistic commitments, tailored to the resources available in the market. Apart from Montmagny, which is the major municipality in the county and has a diversified industrial and economic base, the applicant's principal market extends along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River roughly from Saint-Michel de Bellechasse to Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, and encompasses a total population of about 45,000.
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The Commission has also taken note of the numerous letters from socioeconomic organizations and business people from Montmagny and the surrounding communities in support of the establishment of a service that will meet local and regional radio communication needs. In light of this support and of the importance attached by the applicant to the involvement of local people in its programming and to the coverage of local and regional events, the Commission is of the opinion that the applicant should be able to achieve its projected revenues and to recover some of the local listeners who currently tune to stations from the Quebec City area.
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With respect to the proposed operation of the station with an effective radiated power of 8,740 watts, the applicant stated at the hearing that it considered that this would be sufficient to serve the area for which it had applied and that it did not intend to increase the power in order to serve a larger area.
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The applicant proposes to operate the new station in the Group I music format. In an effort to attract the largest possible audience of adult listeners, it will broadcast a mix of rock (30 %), mainly in the evening and at certain times on the weekend, middle-of-the-road (40 %) and easy listening (30%) music. It also expects to broadcast 5 hours weekly of category 6 music (traditional and special interest). A minimum of 65 % of the musical selections from category 5 (Music-General) will be in the French language.
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The applicant proposed to devote at least 12 % of its broadcast week to foreground format programming, consisting primarily of musical material and produced using local resources. In this regard, the applicant stated at the hearing that its programming would be [TRANSLATION]: "progressively enriched" according to the needs of the community and its financial resources. It also described the possibility of acquiring foreground programming from other sources. The Commission has also noted the importance that the applicant attaches to news with a commitment of 6 hours 15 minutes weekly, of which 44 % will be local and regional in nature.
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The Commission notes the applicant's commitment to promote Canadian talent and encourages it to increase its contributions as its financial resources permit. The Commission will review the licensee's efforts in this regard in the context of its next licence renewal.
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It is a condition of licence that construction of the undertaking be completed and that it be in operation within twelve months of the date of this decision or such further period as the Commission may, upon receipt of a request for extension before the expiry of the said twelve months, deem appropriate under the circumstances.
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The Commission has taken note of the written intervention submitted by Mr. Réal Gauvin, the provincial Member for Montmagny-L'Islet, in support of this application.
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Minority Opinion of Commissioner Coupal
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I do not believe that in Montmagny the advertising market is sufficient to ensure an adequate radio service. In fact, Montmagny is already fully served by the Quebec City radio stations.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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