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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2019-104

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 9 January 2019

Ottawa, 8 April 2019

Torres Media Ottawa Inc.
Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec

Public record for this application: 2018-1130-8

CIDG-FM Ottawa/Gatineau – Technical changes

  1. The Commission approves the application by Torres Media Ottawa Inc. (Torres) to change the authorized contours of the English-language commercial radio programming undertaking CIDG-FM Ottawa/Gatineau, by decreasing the average effective radiated power (ERP) from 5,360 to 4,683 watts, increasing the maximum ERP from 19,500 to 21,000 watts, decreasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 99.6 to 98 metres, and modifying the transmitter site coordinates.
  2. In CIDG-FM Ottawa and CHIP-FM Fort-Coulonge – Licence amendments and technical changes, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2015-575, 22 December 2015 (Broadcasting Decision 2015-575), the Commission granted Torres and Pontiac Community Radio authorization to exchange the frequencies of CIDG-FM and CHIP-FM. In addition, the Commission approved Torres’s requests to move the transmission site for CIDG-FM and to change that station’s technical parameters. Torres indicated, however, that following the issuance of Broadcasting Decision 2015-575, the ownership of the broadcasting tower to which it was authorized to relocate its transmitter exchanged hands, and that the new owners of that tower are not amenable to leasing tower space to commercial broadcasters. In this regard, the licensee stated that it is seeking authorization to operate at technical parameters similar to those approved in Broadcasting Decision 2015-575, but at the transmitter site from which it currently operates. In support of its application, Torres argued that the station has received listener complaints on a daily basis regarding weak signal coverage, and that static and interference has had a negative impact on the amount of time audiences tune in to the station.
  3. The Commission received an intervention commenting on this application from Rogers Media Inc. (Rogers), licensee of CKBY-FM Smiths Falls, Ontario. The intervener noted that in regard to the technical parameters approved in Broadcasting Decision 2015-575, Torres had committed to monitor any resulting interference to CKBY-FM, but that no monitoring was carried out given that the approved technical parameters were not implemented. In regard to the technical parameters proposed in the present application, Rogers requested that it be notified at least three weeks in advance of the test period for the new transmitter site so that it can monitor for interference. In its reply, Torres indicated that it would provide Rogers with the requested notice of the test period, and that it would remedy any issues relating to interference to CKBY-FM stemming from the currently proposed technical changes.Footnote 1
  4. Pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, this authority will only be effective when the Department of Industry notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.
  5. The licensee must implement the technical changes by no later than 8 April 2021. To request an extension, the licensee must submit a written request to the Commission at least 60 days before that date, using the form available on the Commission’s website.

Secretary General

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

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