ARCHIVED - Letter
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Ottawa, 9 July 2013
Mr. Sathian Karunananthan
Manager IT / Technical Dept.
CMR 101.3 Diversity FM (CJSA)
Unit 1, 306 Rexdale Blvd.
Toronto, Ontario
M9W 1R6
BY E-MAIL: sathian@cmr24.fm
Re: Hybrid-Digital (HD) radio experiment in Toronto, Ontario (Reference number 613532)
Dear Mr. Karunananthan:
This is in response to your email of 14 December 2012, in which the Canadian Multicultural Radio (CMR) requests authorization, for a minimum of three years, to conduct experimental broadcasting using the Hybrid-digital Radio™ (HD Radio) technology on the side bands of CJSA-FM Toronto, Ontario. Specifically, CMR indicated that the proposed programming on the five digital channels would involve advertising and a range of programming set out as follows:
HD1- Simulcast of CJSA-FM 101.3 MHz;
HD2 - Tamil;
HD3 - Punjabi;
HD4 - Hindi and Urdu or aboriginal;
HD5 - Data transmission.
The Commission notes that digital radio has been adopted in a number of other jurisdictions and considers that the Canadian broadcasting system may benefit from the adoption of this technology. The Commission acknowledges the important role that broadcasters play in the development of new technologies. Consequently, provided that the Department of Industry’s technical requirements are met, the Commission considers that CMR may undertake the temporary experimentation of HD Radio technology on the side bands of CJSA-FM Toronto, by broadcasting the programming described in its proposal.
The Commission also notes that CMR’s proposal includes the requests to have protected status in the South Asian ethnic digital radio market during the experimentation period, and assurance that any future regulation for HD Radio would not
undermine CMR’s efforts bringing HD Radio to the market. The Commission considers that it would be premature to grant such requests at this time. The Commission also considers that public process is required in order to fully assess the impact of such requests. Therefore, the Commission cannot approve these requests at this time.
In the CRTC Three-Year Plan 2013-2016, the Commission announced that it would review its Commercial Radio Policy in 2013-2014, and that through this review process it could address the deployment of terrestrial digital technologies. The Commission invites CMR to submit its written comments regarding the issues and questions raised by digital radio technologies in that context. CMR’s application and a copy of this letter will be made available for public examination as part of this process.
The trial period will expire on 31 December 2014, the date by which the above-mentioned review process should be complete. At that time, should you wish to continue to operate a digital radio service on the side bands of CJSA-FM, you may be required to file any document requested by the Commission in which you confirm your intention to continue offering your HD Radio service, in conformity with the new policies set out by the Commission, if any.
Should CMR not wish to continue digital broadcasting on HD Radio, it will be required to submit a letter in which it confirms the date when it will have ceased any HD Radio broadcasting on the side bands of CJSA-FM.
You are reminded that this is a temporary authority which should not be considered as an indication of how the Commission may rule on such applications in the future.
In order for the Commission to be informed of the opportunities and impacts of HD Radio technology, the Commission requests that CMR inform it by letter of the date on which it will begin broadcasting on the digital channels. The Commission also requires that CMR submit a report of its findings within 60 days of the completion of the first six months of experimentation.
Sincerely,
Original signed by:
John Traversy
Secretary General
c.c. Line Perron
Director
Regulatory and Program Planning
Industry Canada
Gwen Buck
Application and Certification Officer
Broadcasting, Emergency Telecom and
Space Services
Industry Canada
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