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ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-549

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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2004-549

  Ottawa, 15 December 2004
  Lighthouse Broadcasting Limited
Medicine Hat, Alberta
  Application 2004-0218-1
Public Hearing in the National Capital Region
7 September 2004
 

CJLT-FM Medicine Hat - Technical change

  The Commission denies the application to change the frequency and authorized contours of CJLT-FM Medicine Hat.
 

The application

1. The Commission received an application by Lighthouse Broadcasting Limited (Lighthouse) to amend the broadcasting licence for the radio programming undertaking CJLT-FM Medicine Hat, in order to change the frequency from 99.5 MHz (channel 258LP) to 93.7 MHz (channel 229A). The applicant also proposed to change the authorized contours by increasing the effective radiated power from 48 watts to 2,300 watts.
2. CJLT-FM is currently licensed as a low-power unprotected FM service and approval of the present application would change its operating class to one that has protected status under the Department of Industry's rules.
3. Lighthouse indicated that the purpose of the proposed changes was to rectify CJLT-FM's signal deficiencies and to provide a reliable signal throughout Medicine Hat.
 

The interventions

4. The Commission received 19 interventions in support of this application and one intervention from the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (Pattison Group) offering comments.
5. The Pattison Group expressed concern that, if the Commission were to approve this application, Lighthouse would no longer be subject to a condition of licence stipulating that a minimum of 95% of all musical selections broadcast each broadcast week must be drawn from subcategory 35 Non-classic religious.
 

The applicant's response

6. In response to the intervener's concern, Lighthouse indicated that, if its application were approved, it would continue to adhere to a condition of licence that a minimum of 95% of all musical selections broadcast each week must be drawn from subcategory 35.
 

The Commission's analysis and determination

7. In its evaluation of this application, the Commission has carefully considered the views of the applicant and the interveners. With respect to the concern expressed by the Pattison Group, the Commission notes Lighthouse's indication that it would continue to be subject to a condition of licence requiring that a minimum of 95% of all musical selections broadcast each broadcast week are drawn from subcategory 35.
8. The Commission expects that, when a licensee of a low-power radio station files an application to change its operating class to that of a protected undertaking, it should present compelling evidence that its authorized technical parameters are not adequate to provide the service as it was originally proposed.
9. The Commission finds that CJLT-FM's current authorized technical parameters are adequate and commensurate with those of the low-power service that Lighthouse originally proposed. That service was approved by the Commission in Low-power religious music FM radio station in Medicine Hat, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2003-12, 21 January 2003. In the Commission's view, the applicant has not presented compelling evidence of either an economic or technical need for the proposed changes to CJLT-FM's signal.
10. Accordingly, the Commission denies the application by Lighthouse Broadcasting Limited to amend the broadcasting licence for the radio programming undertaking CJLT-FM Medicine Hat in order to change the frequency. The related request to change the authorized contours of the station by increasing the effective radiated power is also denied.
  Secretary General
  This decision is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca 

Date Modified: 2004-12-15

Date modified: