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Monarch Broadcasting Ltd.
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Taber, Alberta - 199700042 - 199708947
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Licence amendments for CKTA - Denied
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1. In Public Notice CRTC 1997-124 dated 6 October 1997, the Commission announced the receipt of applications to amend the broadcasting licence for CKTA Taber, by replacing the current 1570 kHz CKTA transmitting facilities with those of 1090 kHz CKRX Lethbridge, and by adding a low-power transmitter at Taber, operating on the frequency 92.7 MHz (channel 224 LP) with an effective radiated power of 42 watts.
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2. In Decision CRTC 93-23 dated 23 January 1993, Monarch Broadcasting Ltd. (Monarch) was granted approval to acquire the assets of CKRX Lethbridge and CKTA Taber from Shaw Radio Ltd. In Decision CRTC 96-673, dated 10 October 1996, the Commission approved an application by Monarch for a new FM undertaking to serve Lethbridge. Following an implementation period during which the new FM station was simulcast on the 1090 kHz frequency of the existing AM station CKRX, the licence for the AM station was surrendered.
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3. In applying to utilize the 1090 kHz Lethbridge frequency for the Taber undertaking, Monarch noted that the transmitter and tower currently in use in Taber are in need of costly repairs, and the replacement of them is necessary for the continuing operation of CKTA. The licensee added that using the existing Lethbridge facilities would mean substantial savings for the company. However, Monarch also noted that it would be necessary to use a low-power FM repeater to ensure adequate coverage of the town of Taber by the CKTA signal should the application be approved.
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4. An intervention in opposition to these applications was submitted by Rogers Broadcasting Limited (Rogers), licensee of Lethbridge radio stations CJOC and CFRU-FM. Rogers expressed the concern that Taber and Lethbridge are two separate communities, and that approval of these applications would constitute the introduction of a new AM radio service to Lethbridge without the benefit of a competitive process.
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5. In response to the intervener's concerns, the licensee stated that the signal of CKTA Taber is already available in the Lethbridge market, and that the applications propose no changes to the programming commitments of CKTA.
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6. The Commission has considered the views of the applicant and of the intervener, and is of the opinion that approval of this proposal would constitute a significant change in the principal service area of the Taber station. The Commission, upon examination of recent data from BBM's fall 1997 audience survey, also notes substantial improvement in the perfomance of the applicant's stations in both Taber and Lethbridge. The Commission considers that approval of the applicant's proposal, during a period of market adjustment to the applicant's recent AM/FM station conversion in Lethbridge, has the potential to adversely impact other Lethbridge stations. For these reasons, the applications are denied.
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This decision is to be appended to the licence.
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Laura M. Talbot-Allan
Secretary General
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This document is available in alternative format upon request.
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