|
|
Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-108
|
|
|
Ottawa, 29 March 2006
|
|
|
Radio CJFP (1986) ltée
Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec and Edmundston, New Brunswick
|
|
|
Application 2005-0818-7
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2005-99
28 October 2005
|
|
|
CIEL-FM Rivière-du-Loup - New transmitter in Edmundston
|
|
|
The Commission denies an application to amend the broadcasting licence for the commercial radio station CIEL-FM Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, in order to operate a transmitter in Edmundston, New Brunswick.
|
|
|
The application
|
|
1.
|
The Commission received an application by Radio CJFP (1986) ltée (Radio CJFP) to amend the broadcasting licence for the commercial radio programming undertaking CIEL-FM Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, in order to operate a low-power FM transmitter in Edmundston, New Brunswick to broadcast the programming of CIEL-FM to the population of Edmundston.
|
|
2.
|
The new transmitter in Edmundston would operate at 97.3 MHz (channel 247LP) with an average effective radiated power of 1.4 watts.
|
|
|
Interventions
|
|
3.
|
The Commission received opposing interventions by Radio Edmundston Inc., the licensee of CJEM-FM Edmundston, by Radio Dégelis inc., the licensee of CFVD-FM Dégelis, by the Edmundston area Chamber of Commerce, by the Alliance des radios communautaires du Canada and by the Syndicat des communications de la république du Madawaska. The interveners contended that Radio CJFP's argument that CIEL-FM already covers Edmundston is incorrect. According to the interveners, CIEL-FM's lack of listenership, confirmed by BBM surveys, is evidence that the addition of the transmitter would increase CIEL-FM's market. The interveners also noted that Radio CJFP did not plan to broadcast local programming, and that the addition of the proposed transmitter would fragment listenership and increase CIEL-FM's revenues to the detriment of the two local radio stations, CJEM-FM and CFAI-FM.
|
|
4.
|
The Coopérative des montagnes limitée - Radio communautaire (Coopérative des Montagnes), the licensee of CFAI-FM, submitted that the addition of a transmitter in the Edmundston area would jeopardize the intervener's community radio station by driving down its advertising revenues.
|
|
|
Licensee's replies
|
|
5.
|
In its replies, Radio CJFP reiterated that the sole purpose of its proposal is to improve the quality of its signal to the Edmundston population. It added that the programs offered by the Corus network such as Les amateurs de Sports, Les soirées du hockey du Canadien de Montréal, special public affairs programs like election night coverage, the program Doc Mailloux, and news and sports bulletins would foster greater diversity in the French-language programming available to the population of Edmundston.
|
|
|
Commission's analysis and determination
|
|
6.
|
The Edmundston radio market is currently served by two French-language radio stations, CJEM-FM and CFAI-FM, and one English-language radio station, CIKX-FM, which is owned by Astral Media Radio Atlantic Inc. This market has a population of approximately 22,556 and Francophones represent 83% of the total population in the market.
|
|
7.
|
The Commission notes that, according to BBM surveys, the Edmundston radio market is distinct from the Rivière-du-Loup market, which has a population of approximately 23,360. Francophones make up 99% of this market and are served by two commercial radio stations, CIEL-FM and CIBM-FM, which is owned by CIBM-FM Mont-Bleu ltée.
|
|
8.
|
The Commission defines the market of an FM station as the lesser of the station's 3 mV/m contour and the Central Area (as defined by BBM) of the community served by the station. Based on that definition, the Commission is satisfied that the Edmundston market is not part of CIEL-FM Rivière-du-Loup's market.
|
|
9.
|
Furthermore, analysis of the data from the BBM surveys shows that, in 2005, the French-language radio stations in Edmundston together accounted for 86% of radio tuning share; commercial radio station CJEM-FM accounted for 60%; and community radio station CFAI-FM accounted for 26%. CIEL-FM has a very marginal tuning share in the Edmundston market, with only 0.3% in the Fall 2005 survey. The Commission notes that these data contradict the licensee's argument that Edmundston is within CIEL-FM's service area.
|
|
10.
|
The Commission's analysis of the financial data shows that Edmundston's two radio stations are experiencing financial difficulty. The Commission notes that approval of this application would permit CIEL-FM to serve the Edmundston market with a quality signal. CIEL-FM would thus be able to compete with the local radio stations in Edmundston and with CFVD-FM, which serves the neighbouring market of Dégelis. Given the difficult financial situations of the stations serving this market, the Commission finds that approval of this application could have a negative impact on these stations.
|
|
11.
|
In light of the foregoing, the Commission denies the application by Radio CJFP (1986) ltée to amend the broadcasting licence for the commercial radio programming undertaking CIEL-FM Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, in order to operate a low-power FM transmitter in Edmundston, New Brunswick to broadcast the programming of CIEL-FM to the population of Edmundston.
|
|
|
Secretary General
|
|
|
This decision is available in alternative format upon request, and may also be examined in PDF format or in HTML at the following Internet site: www.crtc.gc.ca
|
Date Modified: 2006-03-29