Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-397

PDF version

Reference: 2016-176

Ottawa, 6 October 2016

Bay of Islands Radio Inc.
Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador

Application 2016-0169-1, received 12 February 2015
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
13 July 2016

Low-power community FM radio station in Corner Brook

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language community FM radio station in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Application

1. The Commission received an application by Bay of Islands Radio Inc. (Bay of Islands Radio) for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language community FM radio station in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Commission received an intervention supporting the application from the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA).
2. Bay of Islands Radio is a not-for-profit corporation controlled by its board of directors, composed of six members.
3. The station would operate at 100.1 MHz (channel 261LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height above average terrain of 24.5 metres).^{Footnote 1}
4. During each broadcast week, the station would broadcast 126 hours of programming, 106 hours of which would be local. The remaining programming would be acquired from the community radio station CHBB-FM Norris Point, Newfoundland and Labrador, or from sources such as the NCRA Program Exchange. Of this weekly programming, 1.5 hours would consist of news (at least 70% local), including 45 minutes of pure news.
5. Musical programming would consist of a variety of popular and special interest music selections, including pop, rock and dance, country, acoustic, easy listening, concert, folk, jazz and blues and world beat music. Further, in addition to English-language programming, the station would broadcast two hours of French-language programming and 30 minutes of both Arabic- and Mi'kmaq-language programming each broadcast week.
6. Bay of Islands Radio indicated that the station's main priority would be to facilitate the creation of original local programming, noting that the online radio service it currently offers covers local events of public interest (community concerts, presentations, speeches and fundraisers) and regularly features in-studio performances by local talent, including emerging artists.
7. With respect to community involvement, the applicant stated that the station would be solely operated by volunteers from the community. In this respect, it noted that its current online radio service includes a large team of volunteers who have the opportunity to be involved in many different aspects of the station, such as creating on-air content, reporting, recording community events/concerts, editing programs, assisting with fundraising and being on the board of directors. Training is offered to its volunteers on an as-needed basis, as well as training sessions for new equipment or relating to operational changes. Finally, the applicant stressed that it is visible in the community, promoting and encouraging volunteering by hosting open house events and organizing public meetings at schools and community spaces.

Commission's decision

8. The Commission expects community 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.
9. The Commission is satisfied that the application complies with the provisions for community radio stations set out in Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by Bay of Islands Radio for a broadcasting licence to operate a low-power, English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Reminder

10. Pursuant to section 16 of the Radio Regulations, 1986, all licensees of campus, community and Native radio stations must implement a public alerting system.

Secretary General

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-397

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for the low-power, English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2023.

The station will operate at 100.1 MHz (channel 261LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height above average terrain of 24.5 metres).

Pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, no licence may be issued until the Department of Industry (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 undertaking, the applicant will have to select another frequency if the Department so requires.

The Commission directs the applicant to file executed copies of its revised corporate documents within 30 days from the date of this decision.

Further, 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 6 October 2018. 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

1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions set out in Standard conditions of licence for campus and community radio stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2012-304, 22 May 2012, as well as the conditions of licence set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.

Expectation

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

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.

Date modified:

2016-10-06