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Ottawa, 5 August 1986
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Decision CRTC 86-702
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J.R. Gordon, representing a company to be incorporated Moncton, New Brunswick - 852003300
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Radio-Aboiteaux Ltée Moncton, New Brunswick - 853286300Radio One Ltd., on behalf of a company to be incorporated Moncton, New Brunswick - 853117000
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At a Public Hearing in Moncton on 6 May 1986, the Commission considered competing applications from the three parties noted above to provide a new English-language radio service in Moncton.
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Moncton is currently served by two commercial English-language radio stations: CKCW (Contemporary MOR) and CFQM-FM (Group III - Country).
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In licensing any new radio station, the Commission wishes to be satisfied that the prospective licensee possesses a clear understanding of the market and the needs of its residents. It also requires that the programming proposals and music format contribute to the diversity of service available to the community without unduly affecting the audience or revenue base of local broadcasters. The prospective licensee should, in addition, be sufficiently well-financed and able to withstand possible shortfalls in projected revenues.
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The applicants
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In 1980, Rufino Landry on behalf of a company to be incorporated, later incorporated as Radio-Aboiteaux ltée (Radio-Aboiteaux), was granted a licence to operate a French-language AM station in Moncton (CHLR). From its inception, CHLR had difficulty in attracting sufficient audience and revenues to make the undertaking viable and in early 1985 the licensee made a proposal in bankruptcy which was accepted by its creditors and the Court. The station has been off the air since 2 January 1985.
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Radio-Aboiteaux's original shareholders, Mr. Landry and Mr. Alie LeBouthillier, along with four new investors have now applied to carry on a new English-language AM station offering a Contemporary music service to listeners between 12 and 49 years of age, on the frequency 1380 kHz.
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Although this applicant expressed a "desire to serve the needs of the francophone population in south-eastern New Brunswick", the Commission is not convinced that its proposed experimental bilingual programming approach "to test audience reaction" will result in the provision of French-language programming responsive to the needs of the community. In arriving at this determination, the Commission has taken into account Radio-Aboiteaux's previous unsuccessful attempt to establish a Frenchlanguage radio service and does not consider that a further period of experimentation is warranted under the circumstances.
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Furthermore, after assessing all of the information contained in the application and the applicant's responses at the hearing, the Commission is not convinced that the Contemporary music format or overall programming proposed by Radio-Aboiteaux represent a real alternative to the service currently provided by CKCW. Accordingly, the application by Radio-Aboiteaux Ltée. is denied. The Commission will expect Radio-Aboiteaux to notify the Commission of its plans for the remainder of the CHLR licence term.
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The other applicants, J.R. Gordon on behalf of a company to be incorporated (J.R. Gordon) and Radio One Ltd. on behalf of a company to be incorporated (Radio One), have proposed the use of the frequency 103.1 MHz for their FM services. These applications were submitted in response to a call issued by the Commission in CRTC -Public Notice 1985-212 dated 12 September 1985. J.R. Gordon has proposed to operate a "Group II" station offering primarily Pop and Rock-Harder music to an audience between 18 and 34 years of age and Radio One has chosen the "Group I" format to broadcast predominantly Pop and Rock-Softer music for listeners between 18 and 55.
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The licensee
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Based on all of the information submitted, including interventions and the evidence presented at the hearing, the Commission has determined that the J.R. Gordon application best meets the criteria outlined at the beginning of this decision, particularly in terms of programming diversity and financial viability.
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Accordingly, the Commission approves, by majority decision, the application by J.R. Gordon, representing a company to be incorporated, for a broadcasting licence for an English-language FM radio station in Moncton, operating on the frequency 103.1 MHz (channel 276) with an effective radiated power of 46,800 watts, and denies the two other competing applications. It notes that the application by Radio One Ltd. was also technically mutually exclusive with the J.R. Gordon application.
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The Commission will issue a licence expiring 31 March 1991, subject to the conditions specified in the licence to be issued.
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This authority will only be effective at such time as the Commission receives documentation establishing that the company has been incorporated in accordance with the application in all material respects.
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The Commission notes that J.R. Gordon described the music programming of the proposed "Group II" station as "adult-oriented album rock" based on less familiar album cuts, a relatively low hit factor (35%) and a significant amount of untried, new material. The Commission is satisfied that the Gordon proposal can contribute to the diversity of Moncton radio services.
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In support of Canadian talent, J.R. Gordon proposes to allocate $60,000 for the construction of a studio primarily for the production of a weekly jazz and blues presentation featuring local artists. It has also designated $5,200 per year for station-produced live music taped for broadcast and will set up a fund of $3,000, increasing to $5,000 in the third year of operation, to assist and promote local talent.
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The licensee has proposed a predominantly local and regional news service. It also plans to use an enrichment editor and announcers who are "authorities in their own right" on different styles of rock music to ensure that its foreground and mosaic programming commitments are achieved. The Commission will follow the applicant's progress in these areas with interest.
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Furthermore, recognizing the linguistic mix of the market to be served, J.R. Gordon made the commitment at the hearing to investigate the provision of French-language programming on the Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (SCMO). The Commission strongly encourages the licensee to develop initiatives in this regard and to advise the Commission of developments.
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It is a condition of licence that construction of the station 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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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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