ARCHIVED - Decision CRTC 2001-8

Decision CRTC 2001-8

Ottawa, 11 January 2001

CKUA Radio Foundation
Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Peace River, Red Deer, Hinton, Edson, Whitecourt, Athabasca, Fort McMurray, Spirit River, Drumheller/Hanna, Banff and Lloydminster, Alberta  2000-0206-4

Application processed by Public Notice CRTC 2000-112 dated 4 August 2000

Licence renewal for CKUA-FM and its transmitters

The Commission renews, from 1 March 2001 to 31 August 2007, the broadcasting licence for the radio programming undertaking CKUA-FM Edmonton and its transmitters.

CKUA provides alternative radio programming, not available on other radio stations, and promotes arts and culture in Alberta. The station will celebrate its 75^th  anniversary in 2002, having first signed on in 1927.

The service is available to Alberta residents through a network of sixteen FM radio transmitters that rebroadcast the programs of the originating station in Edmonton. In 1995, the CKUA Radio Foundation, a not-for-profit society and registered charity, acquired the assets of the station from the crown corporation, The Alberta Educational Communications Corporation. The station closed in March 1997 because of a lack of operating funds. The licensee undertook a fund-raising campaign and, five weeks later, CKUA resumed service. The licensee currently generates revenues through restricted advertising and two annual fund-raising campaigns.

As an educational service, the station operates under a specialty format. A condition of licence in this regard is found in the appendix to this decision.

The station currently operates 19 hours each weekday and 20 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. In the new licence term, the licensee plans to increase to a full 24-hour schedule.

The licensee provides curriculum supportive material with partners such as the University of Alberta, Athabasca University and Open College. A condition of licence requiring the licensee to broadcast 6.5 hours of formal educational programming each week is set out in the appendix to this decision.

CKUA also offers music that is generally not broadcast on conventional stations: alternative country, jazz, folk, bluegrass, gospel and world music.

Canadian talent development

The licensee does not participate in the Canadian talent development plan established by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. Instead, it has provided financial contributions to The Alberta Music Project. The licensee also produces programs promoting local and regional artists such as "Alberta Music" (an hour-long weekly program featuring up and coming performers) and "Songlines" (a documentary series which included extensive performances and interviews with numerous Canadian musical artists). In addition, the licensee supports arts and cultural institutions by promoting, on air, events such as the Calgary Folk Festival. It also broadcasts live concerts and plays. The licensee expects that this level of support will not decrease over the new licence term. It stated that it is "absolutely committed" to supporting and promoting local Alberta talent.

Employment equity

The licensee renewed its commitment to seek candidates from the four designated groups (women, aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities) to fill positions at the station, including on-air staff. It also committed to using, whenever possible, programs and services that facilitate such placement. During the upcoming licence term, the licensee plans to improve access and facilities for persons with disabilities and to develop new opportunities within CKUA for members of all four designated groups.

Volunteers

The licensee has reached out to many communities to facilitate community access programming and to offer them opportunities to provide feedback on programming. It has volunteer chapters in seven Alberta communities and provides seed money as well as logistical and administrative support to these groups so that they can participate directly in CKUA's activities. The licensee has also hired a Community Volunteer Co-ordinator to encourage and manage participation of volunteers in as many areas as possible in the station's operations.

Related CRTC documents

• Public Notice 2000-14 - Revised content categories and subcategories for radio

• Public Notice 1992-59 - Implementation of an employment equity policy

Secretary General

This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca 

Appendix to Decision CRTC 2001-8

Conditions of licence for the specialty radio programming undertaking CKUA-FM Edmonton and its transmitters:

CKUA Edmonton, CKUA-FM-1 Calgary, CKUA-FM-2 Lethbridge, CKUA-FM-3 Medicine Hat, CKUA-FM-4 Grande Prairie, CKUA-FM-5 Peace River, CKUA-FM-6 Red Deer, CKUA-FM-7 Hinton, CKUA-FM-8 Edson, CKUA-FM-9 Whitecourt, CKUA-FM-10 Athabasca, CKUA-FM-11 Fort McMurray, CKUA-FM-12 Spirit River, CKUA-FM-13 Drumheller/Hanna, CKUA-FM-14 Banff, and CKUA-FM-15 Lloydminster

The licence will be subject to the conditions set out below and to those specified in the licence to be issued.

1. The licensee shall operate the station within the Specialty format as defined in Public Notice CRTC 1995-60, as amended from time to time.

2. The licensee shall broadcast a minimum of 6.5 hours per week of formal educational programming, defined as programming that is presented for accredited study at post secondary institutions and which is presented by accredited educators, such as hosts and presenters who are teachers or qualified professors.

3. The licensee shall broadcast a minimum of 12% Canadian content in category 3 music as required by the policy set out in Public Notice CRTC 2000-14, as amended from time to time.

4. The licensee is authorized to broadcast a weekly average of 4 minutes of restricted advertising for every hour of broadcast, with a maximum of 6 minutes of restricted advertising in any single hour, up to an overall total of 504 minutes of advertising per week. The restricted advertising broadcast must conform to the definition of restricted advertising set out in Public Notice CRTC 1992-38, as amended from time to time

5. The licensee shall 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 approved 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.

6. The licensee shall adhere to the provisions of the CAB's Broadcast code for advertising to children, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.