Search

Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-135

PDF version

Reference: 2016-465

Ottawa, 5 May 2017

KCVI Educational Radio Station Incorporated
Kingston, Ontario

Application 2016-0701-1, received 28 June 2016
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
16 February 2017

English-language community FM radio station in Kingston

The Commission approves an application by KCVI Educational Radio Station Incorporated for a new broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station in Kingston, Ontario.

Application

  1. KCVI Educational Radio Station Incorporated (KCVI) filed an application for a new broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station in Kingston, Ontario. KCVI currently operates the low-power, English-language community radio station CKVI-FM Kingston at frequency 91.9 MHz (channel 220LP). It wishes to operate the station as a regular-power station to address interference from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) rebroadcasting transmitter CBOB-FM Brockville. This application was filed pursuant to the Commission’s process for converting low-power radio stations to regular-power radio stations, as set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2014-554.Footnote 1
  2. The station would operate at 91.9 MHz (channel 220A) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 435 watts (maximum ERP of 2,000 watts with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain of 28 metres).Footnote 2
  3. KCVI is a not-for-profit corporation effectively controlled by its board of directors.
  4. CKVI-FM currently operates from Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, a secondary school, with volunteer staff, including community members who contribute to the station’s programming and management, and assist with local events. The applicant indicated that students, volunteers and local talent from across the Kingston community are regularly invited to participate at the station in various roles, such as hosts, programmers, sound engineers and journalists.
  5. Regarding community involvement and volunteer participation, the applicant confirmed that the new station would continue to broadcast throughout the entire year, hiring student managers and support volunteers to continue operations throughout the summer months.
  6. KCVI indicated that the station would continue to broadcast a total of 50 hours of programming each broadcast week, of which at least 40 hours would be devoted to local programming. The remaining 10 hours would be acquired from other National Campus and Community Radio Association member stations or non-profit sources.
  7. Further, the applicant indicated that 15% of the station’s programming would continue to be devoted to local, spoken word programming in each broadcast week. This would include a daily newscast, contributing to 1 hour and 15 minutes of newscasts per broadcast week, with 45 minutes of pure news. At least 50% of the newscasts would be devoted to local news. The applicant also described daily, locally produced spoken word programming segments that would cover local issues in the community, including non-profit community events and interviews with community members and local Canadian artists.
  8. Music programming would continue to be drawn from a variety of content category 2 (Popular Music) and 3 (Special Interest Music) musical selections, including pop, rock and dance, acoustic, jazz and blues, and country. The applicant added that it strives to focus on local musicians and referred to one of the station’s programs called “Seldom Heard” that showcases the music of local, emerging and seldom heard Canadian talent.
  9. The Commission received interventions in support of this application, as well as an intervention commenting on the application from an individual, to which the licensee replied. The public record for this application can be found on the Commission’s website at www.crtc.gc.ca or by using the application number provided above.

Commission’s analysis and decision

  1. As set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499 (the Policy), the Commission expects community radio stations to provide programming that differs in style and substance from that provided by other elements of the broadcasting system, particularly commercial radio stations and the CBC. Their programming should consist of music, especially Canadian music, not generally heard on commercial stations (including special interest music and styles of popular music seldom broadcast), in-depth spoken word programming and programming targeted to specific groups within the community.
  2. The Commission considers that KCVI’s proposal to continue broadcasting only 50 hours of programming each broadcast week is unusual, particularly given the increase in coverage. While community stations may face challenges in terms of the funding and resources needed for programming, a higher amount of programming could improve service to the local community. As set out in the appendix to this decision, the Commission encourages the licensee to expand upon the total hours of programming broadcast in each week.
  3. Overall, the Commission is satisfied that the application complies with the provisions for community radio stations set out in the Policy. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by KCVI Educational Radio Station Incorporated for a new broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Kingston, Ontario. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Revocation of licence

  1. Pursuant to sections 9(1)(e) and 24(1) of the Broadcasting Act, the Commission will revoke the existing licence for CKVI-FM and issue a new broadcasting licence once the applicant has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations under the new technical parameters.

Reminder

  1. The Commission reminds the licensee of its requirement to participate in the National Public Alerting System by implementing emergency alerting on CKVI-FM, pursuant to Broadcasting Decision 2016-249.

Secretary General

Related documents

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-135

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragements for the English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Kingston, Ontario

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2023.

The station will operate at 91.9 MHz (channel 220A) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 435 watts (maximum ERP of 2,000 watts with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain of 28 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 the technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.

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 5 May 2019. 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.

Conditions of licence

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

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 radio station 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.

Encouragements

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.

The Commission encourages the licensee to expand upon the total hours of programming broadcast in each week, with an emphasis placed on local programming that reflects the diversity of the local community in Kingston.

Date modified: