ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 96-675

Decision

Ottawa, 10 October 1996

Decision CRTC 96-675

Central Island Broadcasting Ltd.

Nanaimo and Parksville, British Columbia- 199604955

Licence amendment and new FM radio programming undertaking

Following a Public Hearing in Calgary beginning on 15 July 1996, the Commission approves the application to amend the broadcasting licence for the radio programming undertaking CKWV-FM Nanaimo, by deleting the authority for the CKWV-FM-1 transmitter at Parksville.

The Commission also approves the application for a broadcasting licence for an English-language FM radio programming undertaking at Parksville, on the frequency 99.9 MHz, channel 260A, with an effective radiated power of 1,100 watts.

Subject to the requirements of this decision, the Commission will issue a licence expiring 31 August 1999. This licence will be subject to the conditions specified in this decision and in the licence to be issued.

The licence term granted herein, while less than the maximum of seven years permitted under the Broadcasting Act, will enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence in accordance with the Commission's regional plan and to better distribute the workload within the Commission.

The Commission notes that the new FM station will continue to operate as a full time rebroadcaster of CKWV-FM Nanaimo with the exception of split-fed commercials originating from studios in Nanaimo, but specifically intended for Parksville audiences. The applicant has stated that there are no plans at this time to offer local programming on the new station. The Commission also notes that the applicant operates CKCI (formerly CHPQ) Parksville and plans to continue coverage of Parksville events on this station.

This approval represents an exception to the Commission's policy outlined in Public Notice CRTC 1993-121 entitled "Local Programming Policy for FM Radio - Definition of a Single-Station Market", which states that stations other than those in single-station markets, shall refrain from soliciting or accepting local advertising for broadcast during any broadcast week when less than one-third of the programming aired is local.

It is a condition of licence that the applicant adhere to the guidelines on gender portrayal set out in the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' (CAB) "Sex-Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission.

It is also a condition of licence that the licensee adhere to the provisions of the CAB's "Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children", as amended from time to time and accepted by the Commission.

In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Imple-mentation of an Employment Equity Policy", the Commission announced that the employment equity practices of broadcasters would be subject to examination by the Commission. In this regard, the Commission encourages the applicant to consider employment equity issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

This authority will only be effective and the licence will only be issued at such time as the construction of the undertaking is completed and it is prepared to commence operation. If the construction is not completed within twelve months of the date of this decision or, where the applicant applies to the Commission within this period and satisfies the Commission that it cannot complete construction and commence operation before the expiry of this period, and that an extension of time is in the public interest, within such further periods of time as are approved in writing by the Commission, the licence will not be issued. The applicant is required to advise the Commission (before the expiry of the twelve-month period or any extension thereof) in writing, once it has completed construction and is prepared to commence operation

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

 Allan J. Darling
 Secretary General