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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-418

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Reference: 2017-94

Ottawa, 29 November 2017

Radio Communautaire Francophone et Francophile de l’Outaouais
Gatineau, Quebec

Application 2016-1312-5, received 21 December 2016
Public record for this application
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
10 April 2017

Community radio station in Gatineau

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a French-language community AM radio station in Gatineau, Quebec.

Application

  1. Radio Communautaire Francophone et Francophile de l’Outaouais (Radio Franco) filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a French-language community AM radio station in Gatineau, Quebec. The Commission received numerous interventions in support of this application.
  2. Radio Franco is a not-for-profit corporation controlled by its board of directors.
  3. The new station would operate on frequency 1350 kHz with a daytime transmitter power of 1,000 watts and a nighttime transmitter power of 180 watts.
  4. The station would broadcast 126 hours of local programming each broadcast week.
  5. The programming would include local and regional news, sports coverage and spoken word programming focusing on provincial and national news of particular interest to the local population. It would also consist of spoken word programming pertaining to health, well-being, nutrition, the environment and the economy, among others.
  6. The music programming would include a mix of music drawn from content category 2 (Popular Music) and content category 3 (Special Interest Music).
  7. The applicant indicated that it planned to create a website to extend its broadcasting well beyond its airwaves.

Commission’s analysis and decision

  1. As set out in the Campus and Community Radio Policy, 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 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  2. Such 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.
  3. In this regard, the proposed community station would offer a new local service to Gatineau residents, as well as opportunities for broadcasting, local reflection and a range of spoken word and music programming not currently offered by existing services.
  4. 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 Radio Communautaire Francophone et Francophile de l’Outaouais for a broadcasting licence to operate a French-language community AM radio programming undertaking in Gatineau, Quebec. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Secretary General

Related documents

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-418

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for the French-language community AM radio programming undertaking in Gatineau, Quebec

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2024.

The station will operate at 1350 kHz with a daytime transmitter power of 1,000 watts and a nighttime transmitter power of 180 watts.

The Commission reminds the applicant that 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. 

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 29 November 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 this date.

Conditions of licence

  1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions of licence set out in Standard conditions of licence for campus and community 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 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.

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