ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-263
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Route reference: 2010-935
Ottawa, 20 April 2011
Cochrane Polar Bear Radio Club
Cochrane, Ontario
Application 2010-1222-8, received 2 August 2010
Public Hearing in the National Capital Region
11 February 2011
Community radio station in Cochrane
1. The Commission approves the application by Cochrane Polar Bear Radio Club (CPBRC) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language low-power community FM radio programming undertaking in Cochrane to replace the very low-power developmental community radio programming undertaking in Cochrane authorized in Broadcasting Decision 2008-156.
2. CPBRC is a not-for-profit corporation controlled by its board of directors.
3. The Commission received interventions in support of this application. The public record for this proceeding is available on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca under “Public Proceedings.”
4. On 22 July 2010, the Commission released Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499. In this revised policy for campus and community radio, the Commission announced a number of changes to the regulatory framework for campus and community stations. CPBRC will be required to adhere to this new framework.
5. The proposed station will operate at 104.7 MHz (channel 284LP) with an average effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 29.6 metres).
6. The applicant indicated that the station would broadcast 126 hours of programming in each broadcast week, at least 120 of which would consist of local programming.
7. The station will offer a mixed music format consisting of country, pop, rock, blues, as well as hit parade music from the 1930s to the 1950s. The station’s musical programming will be drawn from a range of category 2 and 3 musical selections.[1]
8. The station’s spoken word programming will consist of local and regional news, weather, as well as the promotion of local events and activities. In each broadcast week, the applicant committed to devote at least 70% of its news reports to local news and 30% to regional news. The station will also offer, in each broadcast week, five hours of programming in the French language and one hour of programming in Aboriginal languages.
9. With respect to the promotion of local artists, the applicant stated that it would broadcast the music of local artists at least twice an hour as part of its normal programming. The applicant also stated that it would run a talent show during its winter festival to promote local talent.
10. CPBRC indicated that the local programming would be produced entirely by volunteers that would consist of community members and students from the local high school. Experienced volunteer broadcasters already involved in the developmental station would provide training to interested parties.
11. The Commission is satisfied that the application is consistent with the provisions for community radio stations set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499. The Commission expects community-based radio stations to provide programming differing in style and substance from that provided by other elements of the broadcasting system, particularly commercial radio stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Such programming should consist of music, especially Canadian music, not generally heard on commercial stations (including special interest music, as well as styles of popular music seldom broadcast), in-depth spoken word programming and programming targeted to specific groups within the community.
Secretary General
Related documents
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Call for comments on amendments to the Radio Regulations, 1986, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2011-173, 11 March 2011
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Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010
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Developmental community radio station in Cochrane, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-156, 1 August 2008
* This decision is to be appended to the licence.
Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-263
Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement
Terms
Issuance of the broadcasting licence to operate an English-language low-power FM community radio programming undertaking in Cochrane, Ontario
The licence will expire 31 August 2017.
The station will operate at 104.7 MHz (channel 284LP) with an average effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 29.6 metres).
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 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 20 April 2013. 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.
Conditions of licence
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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, with the exception of conditions 1 and 9.
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The licensee shall adhere to the Equitable Portrayal Code, as amended from time to time and approved by the Commission.
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The licensee shall devote at least 15% of its programming to Spoken Word (content category 1) in each broadcast week, which is comprised of News (content subcategory 11) and Spoken Word – Other (content subcategory 12), as defined in Revised content categories and subcategories for radio, Public Notice CRTC 2000-14, 28 January 2000, as amended from time to time. The entirety of this spoken word programming shall be locally produced (that is, produced by or exclusively for the licensee).
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The licensee shall devote, in each broadcast week, 12% or more of its musical selections from content category 3 (Special Interest Music) to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety. This condition of licence will expire upon the coming into force of amendments to the Radio Regulations, 1986, introducing requirements pertaining to the minimum level/percentage of content category 3 musical selections that must be devoted to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety by campus and community radio undertakings.
Expectation
Filing of ownership information
As set out in Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010, the Commission expects all community and campus licensees to file yearly updates on the composition of their boards of directors. These annual updates can be submitted at the time of submission of annual returns; following annual board of directors’ elections; or at any other time. As noted in Appendix 3 to that regulatory policy, licensees may submit such documentation via the Commission’s website.
Encouragement
Employment equity
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.
[1] In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499, the Commission presented its preliminary view that the Canadian content level for category 3 music should increase from 12 to 15%. The Commission has since issued a call for comments on whether a 15% or higher level would be an appropriate level of Canadian content for category 3 music (see Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2011-173).
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