ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-416

Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-416

Ottawa, 9 December 2002

Sound of Faith Broadcasting
London, Ontario

Application 2001-1059-4
Public Hearing in the National Capital Region
3 June 2002

Low-power Christian music FM radio station in London

1.

The Commission approves the application by Sound of Faith Broadcasting for a low-power English-language specialty FM radio programming undertaking in London, Ontario.

2.

The service will operate on a year-round basis, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service will provide mainly contemporary Christian music, having a minimum of 95% of the music drawn from subcategory 35 (non-classic Religious). In addition, 44 hours per week of local programming, including headline news, weather and sports will be broadcast. The station also intends to air, four times per day, God's View Behind the News, hourly bible readings and interviews with Christian artists, sports figures, and business leaders, among others. Public service advertisements will be broadcast hourly and commercial advertising will be limited to a maximum of four minutes per hour.

3.

The station will operate at 105.9 MHz (channel 290LP) with an effective radiated power of 10 watts.

4.

The Commission received 186 interventions in support of this application.

5.

The applicant will not take part in the Canadian talent development plan established by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters. Instead, it made a commitment to contribute $5,000.00 annually in direct cost expenditures toward the development of Canadian talent. This will entail holding an annual talent contest for all styles of Christian music with the winners having an opportunity to record a CD. In addition, the licensee will put out a compilation CD of the top 18 artists in the talent contest.

6.

The Commission reminds the applicant that all direct cost expenditures related to Canadian talent development must comply with the criteria set out in An FM policy for the nineties, Public Notice CRTC 1990-111, 17 December 1990, which describes initiatives generally accepted by the Commission.

7.

The licence will expire 31 August 2009 and will be subject to the conditions of licence set out in the appendix to this decision as well as those set out in New licence form for commercial radio stations, Public Notice CRTC 1999-137, 24 August 1999.

8.

The Commission encourages the licensee to seek Canadian sources for the provision of non-local programming whenever possible.

9.

The Department of Industry (the Department) has advised the Commission that, while this application is conditionally technically acceptable, it will only issue a broadcasting certificate when it has determined that the proposed technical parameters will not create any unacceptable interference with aeronautical NAV/COM services.

10.

The Commission reminds the licensee that, pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, no licence may be issued until the Department notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met, and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.

11.

Given that the technical parameters approved in this decision are for a low-power unprotected FM service, the Commission also reminds the licensee that it will have to select another frequency if the Department so requires.

12.

Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will only be issued once the licensee has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations. The undertaking must be operational at the earliest possible date, and in any event no later than 24 months from the date of this decision, unless a request for an extension of time is approved by the Commission before 9 December 2004. In order to ensure that such a request is processed in a timely manner, it should be submitted at least 60 days before this date.

Secretary General

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2002-416

Conditions of licence