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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-302 |
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Ottawa, 6 November 2008 |
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Care Radio Broadcasting Association
Fort Vermilion, Alberta
Buckland, Saskatchewan
Vanderhoof, British Columbia; and
Meander River, Peerless Lake, Manning, Cleardale,
Chateh, Wabasca and Fort Chipewyan, Alberta |
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Applications 2008-0608-6 and 2008-0607-8, received 25 April 2008
Broadcasting Public Notices CRTC 2008-45 and 2008-45-1
16 May 2008 and 23 May 2008 |
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Applications 2008-0819-9, 2008-0822-2, 2008-0823-0, 2008-0825-6,
2008-0818-1, 2008-0821-4 and 2008-0824-8, received 12 June 2008
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2008-63
15 July 2008 |
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CIAM-FM Fort Vermilion - Addition of transmitters |
1. |
The Commission approves the applications by Care Radio Broadcasting Association to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language Type B community radio programming undertaking CIAM-FM Fort Vermilion in order to add low-power transmitters in Buckland, Saskatchewan, Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Meander River, Peerless Lake, Manning, Cleardale, Chateh, Wabasca and Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. The transmitters will operate at the technical parameters specified below: |
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Location |
Frequency (channel) |
Effective radiated power |
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Buckland, Saskatchewan
|
100.1 MHz (channel 261LP) |
50 watts |
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Vanderhoof, British Columbia |
97.9 MHz (channel 250LP) |
50 watts |
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Meander River, Alberta
|
95.9 MHz (channel 240LP)
|
50 watts |
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Peerless Lake, Alberta
|
96.9 MHz (channel 245LP)
|
50 watts |
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Manning, Alberta
|
95.5 MHz (channel 238LP)
|
50 watts |
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Cleardale, Alberta
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91.5 MHz (channel 218LP)
|
50 watts |
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Chateh, Alberta
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96.9 MHz (channel 245LP)
|
14 watts |
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Wabasca, Alberta
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95.5 MHz (channel 238LP)
|
50 watts |
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Fort Chipewyan, Alberta |
95.5 MHz (channel 238LP)
|
50 watts |
2. |
Implementation of the transmitters is subject to the notification by the Department of Industry (the Department) set out in paragraph 9 below. |
3. |
The Commission received numerous interventions in support of the proposed transmitters. In addition, Rawlco Radio Ltd. (Rawlco), the licensee of CHQX-FM, CFMM-FM and CKBI Prince Albert, Saskatchewan filed an intervention indicating that it did not oppose the proposed transmitter in Buckland provided that the licensee did not solicit advertising or sponsorship in the transmitter's coverage area. |
4. |
In approving these applications, the Commission has taken into consideration the fact that Care Radio is a not-for-profit corporation that does not generate advertising revenues. The Commission further notes that CIAM-FM is licensed as a community radio station. Accordingly, the Commission is satisfied that the proposed transmitters will not have an impact on any incumbent commercial radio stations that are currently licensed to serve in the larger communities noted above. |
5. |
The Commission has also noted Care Radio's commitment to provide in-house training to volunteers in the main broadcast facilities in Fort Vermilion as well as local on-site training in each community. The licensee will train volunteers to provide technical support and maintain the local transmitters as well as to produce distinct local community programming such as local weather reports, station liners and community messages. This local community programming will be forwarded to the originating station CIAM-FM to be broadcast over its transmitters. |
6. |
The Commission is satisfied that the proposed transmitters will enhance the diversity of radio services in these northern communities by introducing a new community radio service. In the smaller communities, the proposed transmitters of CIAM-FM will provide a service with local programming in areas that would otherwise not likely be able to sustain a local radio station. |
7. |
The Commission notes that Buckland and Vanderhoof are located a further distance from Fort Vermilion. However, the Commission considers that Buckland and Vanderhoof will benefit from the diversity provided by the addition of CIAM-FM's transmitters. In addition, the transmitters will introduce a new radio voice in both of these communities. |
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Condition prior to the implementation of the transmitters |
8. |
With respect to the transmitters in all the communities except Fort Chipewyan, the Department has advised the Commission that, while the respective 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. |
9. |
The Commission reminds the licensee that, pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, this authority will only be effective when the Department notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued. Therefore, in the absence of the notification by the Department, the applicant will not be able to implement the transmitters approved in this decision. |
10. |
Given that the technical parameters approved in this decision are for low-power unprotected FM services, the Commission also reminds the licensee that it will have to select other frequencies if the Department so requires. |
11. |
The transmitters 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 6 November 2010. In order to ensure that such a request is processed in a timely manner, it should be submitted in writing at least 60 days before that date. |
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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: http://www.crtc.gc.ca. |