ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-191

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  Route reference:
Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing 2008-14
  Ottawa, 15 April 2009
  Cowichan Valley Community Radio Society
Lake Cowichan, British Columbia
  Application 2008-1095-4, received 15 August 2008
Public Hearing in Orillia, Ontario
26 January 2009
 

Developmental community radio station in Lake Cowichan

  The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language, low-power developmental community FM radio programming undertaking in Lake Cowichan.
 

Introduction

1. The Commission received an application by the Cowichan Valley Community Radio Society (Cowichan) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language, low-power developmental community FM radio programming undertaking in Lake Cowichan. The Commission did not receive any interventions in connection with this application.
2. Cowichan is a not-for-profit organization without share capital controlled by its board of directors.
 

Proposed service

3. Developmental stations operate primarily for training purposes. In this regard, Cowichan would recruit and train volunteers for various positions being developed in areas such as on-air disc jockeying, programming, special events coordination and office administration. The new station would offer learning modules for students so as to provide these with training in the various aspects of radio and communications.
4. The new station would focus its music programming on local talent and would seek to establish itself as an emergency service broadcaster by providing a link to the various community emergency services in the Cowichan Valley. The station would broadcast and report emergency updates and advisories of road and flood conditions, weather reports and fire hazards, as well as other general emergency communications provided by local government. Programming would also include talk shows, phone-ins and programming specific to and developed by the community. The applicant undertook to broadcast an average of 61 hours per broadcast week, of which a minimum of 42 hours would be station-produced programming.
5. With respect to the promotion of local artists, Cowichan stated that it would give local individuals an opportunity to develop and use their creative talents on radio by being able to record and promote their material. The applicant would provide local and Canadian actors and musicians with a broadcast platform and experience for future employment opportunities.
 

Commission's determination

6. The Commission is satisfied that the application is consistent with the provisions for developmental community radio stations set out in Community radio policy, Public Notice CRTC 2000-13, 28 January 2000. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Cowichan Valley Community Radio Society for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language, low-power developmental community FM radio programming undertaking in Lake Cowichan. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.
  Secretary General
  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.
 

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2009-191

 

Terms, conditions of licence and encouragement

 

Terms

 

Issuance of the broadcasting licence to operate an English-language, low-power developmental community FM radio programming undertaking in Lake Cowichan, British Columbia

  The licence will expire 31 August 2012. If the applicant wishes to continue the operation of the station beyond this period, it should file an application for a regular community radio licence with the Commission nine months before the expiry of its licence.
  The station will operate at 98.7 MHz (channel 254VLP) with an average effective radiated power of 3.7 watts.
  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.
  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.
  Given that the technical parameters approved in this decision are for a low-power unprotected FM service, the Commission also reminds the applicant that it will have to select another frequency if the Department so requires.
  Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will only 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 15 April 2011. 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.
  In accordance with Community radio policy, Public Notice CRTC 2000-13, 28 January 2000, the licence for this community radio station will be held by a not-for-profit organization without share capital whose structure provides for membership, management, operation and programming by members of the community at large. The board of directors will ultimately control the undertaking and be responsible for adherence to the Radio Regulations, 1986 and the station's conditions of licence.
 

Conditions of licence

 

1. The licence shall be subject to the conditions set out in New licence form for community radio stations, Public Notice CRTC 2000-157, 16 November 2000.

 

Encouragement

  The Commission considers that community radio stations should be particularly sensitive to employment equity issues in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the licensee to consider these issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

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