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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-65
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Ottawa, 16 February 2007
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Education Alternative Radio Society
Prince George, British Columbia
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Application 2006-0275-7
Public Hearing in the National Capital Region
18 December 2006
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Community-based campus FM radio station in Prince George
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The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community-based campus FM radio station in Prince George.
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The application
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1.
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The Commission received an application by the Education Alternative Radio Society (EARS), the not-for-profit society governing CFUR Radio, for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community-based campus FM radio programming undertaking at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George.1 The proposed station would operate at 88.7 MHz (channel 204A) with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 510 watts.
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2.
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The applicant stated that the proposed station would broadcast an average of 100 hours of programming in each broadcast week.
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3.
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The applicant proposed to broadcast a wide range of music, including rock, pop, dance, country, folk, world beat, jazz, blues and international music. At least 5% of all musical selections aired in each broadcast week would be from category 3 (Special Interest Music), and of these category 3 selections at least 12% would be Canadian. Further, a minimum of 25% of the programming broadcast in each broadcast week would consist of spoken word programming, including news programs such as A World of Possibilities, W.I.N.G.S., Between the Lines, Making Contact, Democracy Now and Counterspin, as well as lecture, interview or panel discussion programs such as Alternative Radio, What's the Word and Canadian Voices.
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4.
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In the area of local talent development, EARS stated that it planned to create on a near-annual basis a compilation CD featuring local musical artists and then to distribute the CD to community radio stations across Canada. EARS indicated that it might also distribute local music CDs to Canadian community-based campus and community radio stations.
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5.
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Finally, the applicant stated that it would provide training in radio broadcasting policy and techniques to all volunteers from the student population, as well as to community members interested in on-air positions with the station.
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Interventions
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6.
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The Commission received several interventions in support of this application and one intervention in conditional support.
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7.
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A former EARS volunteer and board member was prepared to support the application provided the applicant agree to further diversify its proposed musical and spoken word programming. Specifically, the intervener expressed concerns regarding the applicant's plan to devote 50% of the proposed programming undertaking's weekly musical selections to subcategory 21 (Pop, rock and dance) and only 1% of its weekly musical selections to subcategories 22 (Country and country-oriented) and 32 (Folk and folk-oriented). The intervener submitted that the applicant should be required to devote a minimum of 10% of the proposed programming undertaking's musical selections each week to a combination of music subcategories 22 and 32. The intervener further submitted that the applicant should establish weekly minimum percentages with respect to subcategories 23 (Acoustic), 24 (Easy listening), 312 (Concert) and 35 (Non-classic religious). Finally, the intervener felt that the applicant should feature throughout the week some programming that would reflect the religious diversity in Prince George.
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8.
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Interventions in support of the proposed application cited CFUR Radio's providing of an alternative for listeners in the Prince George area and its support of local musical talent through its organization of concerts and its on-air play of local artists. One intervener also mentioned the applicant's contribution to the community through its support for community volunteerism.
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9.
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The applicant did not reply to the interventions.
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Commission's analysis and determinations
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10.
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In Campus radio policy, Public Notice CRTC 2000-12, 28 January 2000 (the Campus Radio Policy), the Commission defined community-based campus stations as campus stations with programming produced primarily by volunteers who are either students or members of the community at large. The Commission stated that the primary role of community-based campus stations is to provide alternative programming in the form of music, especially Canadian music, not generally heard on commercial stations (including special interest music and styles of popular music seldom broadcast), in-depth spoken word programming, and programming targeted to specific groups within the community.
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11.
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In its evaluation of this application, the Commission has taken into account the views expressed by the interveners as well as the description of the proposed radio programming undertaking provided by the applicant. The Commission considers that the applicant has successfully demonstrated through its offering of spoken word and music programming that the undertaking, as described in the application, will provide programming diversity to the Prince George market. The Commission is further satisfied that the application conforms with all the applicable terms and conditions for community-based campus radio stations set out in the Campus RadioPolicy. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by the Education Alternative Radio Society for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community-based campus FM radio programming undertaking at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George. The station will operate at 88.7 MHz (channel 204A) with an ERP of 510 watts.
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12.
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In accordance with the Campus Radio Policy, the Commission expects the applicant to take all the necessary steps to ensure that the board of directors includes balanced representation from among the student body, the associated college or university (for example, faculty or administration), station volunteers, and the community at large. To ensure continuity of direction, the Commission also encourages the applicant to establish positions on its board of directors with terms of more than one year.
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13.
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The licence will expire 31 August 2013 and will be subject to the conditions set outin New licence form for campus radio stations, Public Notice CRTC 2000-156, 16 November 2000, as well as to the following condition:
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In each broadcast week, the licensee shall devote at least 12% of its musical selections from Category 3 (Special Interest Music) to Canadian selections and shall schedule such Canadian selections in a reasonable manner throughout the broadcast day.
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For the purposes of this condition, the terms "broadcast week," "Canadian selection," "broadcast day" and "musical selection" shall have the same meaning as that set out in the Radio Regulations, 1986.
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Issuance of the licence
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14.
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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.
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15.
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The Commission reminds the applicant 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.
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16.
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Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will be issued once the applicant 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 16 February 2009. 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.
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Employment equity
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17.
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The Commission considers that campus radio stations should be particularly sensitive to employment equity issues in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the applicant to consider these issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.
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Secretary General
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This decision is to be appended to the licence. It 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
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Footnotes:
In New developmental community-based campus radio station, Decision CRTC 2001-580, 12 September 2001, the Commission approved an application by EARS to operate an English-language, low-power developmental community-based campus FM radio programming undertaking in Prince George. The licence expired 12 September 2005.
The Commission notes that the intervener's comment referred to subcategory 25; however, no such subcategory exists. Upon review of the application, it is the Commission's view that the intervener intended to refer to subcategory 31.
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Date Modified: 2007-02-16