ARCHIVED -  Decision CRTC 97-123

Decision

Ottawa, 27 March 1997

Decision CRTC 97-123

Big West Communications Corp.

Rocky Mountain House, Alberta - 199610556

New FM radio programming undertaking

Following a Public Hearing in Montréal beginning on 24 February 1997, the Commission approves the application for a broadcasting licence for an English -language FM radio programming undertaking at Rocky Mountain House, on the frequency 94.5 MHz, channel 233 A, with an effective radiated power of 720 watts.

Subject to the requirements of this decision, the Commission will issue a licence expiring 31 August 2000. 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 (the Act), will enable the Commission to consider the renewal of this licence at the same time as that of CIBW-FM Drayton Valley.

Upon implementation, the FM station will operate in a single-station market as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1993-121 entitled "Local programming Policy for FM Radio - Definition of a Single-Station Market". In accordance with the policy outlined in the above-noted public notice, the new FM station is excluded from the policy requirements respecting local programming and advertising for commercial FM stations operating in markets served by more than one private commercial station, as outlined in Public Notice CRTC 1993-38 dated 19 April 1993. Consequently, the FM station may solicit and accept local advertising, irrespective of the amount of local programming that it broadcasts.

The proposed station will produce and broadcast 15 hours of local programming and rebroadcast 111 hours of programming from CIBW-FM Drayton Valley.

The Commission reaffirms the particular importance it attaches to the development of Canadian talent. As part of its application, the applicant indicated that it was unable to make a commitment in direct expenditures to Canadian talent development other than the commitment already made with respect to CIBW-FM Drayton Valley. While the new station will broadcast very limited amounts of local programming, the Commission's policy for Canadian talent development, as set out in Public Notice CRTC 1995-196 generally provides that all radio stations make a direct contribution to Canadian talent development. It is noted further that the level of contribution expected of stations in smaller markets is quite low. The Commission, therefore, encourages the licensee to make a direct contribution to Canadian talent development. It will explore this matter further when it considers the licence renewal of this station and of CIBW-FM Drayton Valley.

In Public Notice CRTC 1992-59 dated 1 September 1992 and entitled "Implementation 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.

It is a condition of licence that this station not be operated within the Specialty format as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, or as amended from time to time by the Commission.

It is also a condition of licence that the licensee 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. The application of the foregoing condition of licence will be suspended as long as the licensee remains a member in good standing of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council.

It is a further 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.

This authority will only be effective and the licence will only be issued at such time as 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.

The Department of Industry has advised the Commission that this application is conditionally technically acceptable, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will only be issued once it has been determined that the proposed technical parameters will not create any unacceptable interference with aeronautical NAV/COM services.

In accordance with subsection 22(1) of the Act, the Commission will only issue the licence and the authority will only be granted at such time as written notification is received from the Department of Industry that its technical requirements have been met, and that a Broadcasting Certificate will be issued.

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Allan J. Darling
Secretary General