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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2022-80

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Reference: Part 1 application posted on 19 January 2022

Ottawa, 25 March 2022

Corus Radio Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Public record for this application: 2022-0009-6

CJKR-FM Winnipeg – Technical changes

  1. The Commission has the authority, pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), to issue licences for such terms not exceeding seven years and subject to such conditions related to the circumstances of the licensee as the Commission deems appropriate for the implementation of the broadcasting policy set out in subsection 3(1) of the Act, as well as to amend those conditions on application of the licensee.
  2. Consistent with this authority, the Commission approves the application by Corus Radio Inc. (Corus) to change the authorized contours of the English-language commercial radio programming undertaking CJKR-FM Winnipeg, Manitoba, by decreasing the maximum effective radiated power (ERP) from 310,000 to 93,900 watts, decreasing the average ERP from 310,000 to 57,200 watts, replacing the existing non-directional antenna with a new directional antenna, increasing the effective height of the antenna above average terrain from 69.5 to 184.6 metres, and by amending the existing coordinates of the transmitter site. All other technical parameters will remain unchanged.  
  3. The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to this application.
  4. When requesting technical changes, licensees are generally required to demonstrate a technical or economic need. In regard to the present application, Corus stated that the proposed amendments will allow it to relocate the facilities of CJKR-FM Winnipeg following a fire that destroyed the previous antenna. Corus further stated that, in order to achieve the same coverage at the currently-approved power levels of the current transmission site, the height of the tower would need to be increased. This is not possible given that the current transmitter site is on a flight path and NAV Canada height restrictions in the area prohibit Corus from increasing the tower height. Corus indicated that while a temporary solution is in place, CJKR-FM Winnipeg is currently operating at reduced power, resulting in reduced audiences and thus harming the station and its listeners.
  5. The Commission is satisfied that the licensee has demonstrated a technical need for the requested technical changes.
  6. Pursuant to subsection 22(1) of the 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.
  7. The licensee must implement the technical changes by no later than 25 March 2024. 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.
  8. As set out in section 16 of the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations), the licensees have obligations relating to the broadcast of emergency alert messages received from the National Alert Aggregation and Dissemination System. In regard to the changes to CJKR-FM’s authorized contours resulting from the implementation of the technical changes approved in this decision, the Commission reminds the licensee that continued compliance with section 16 of the Regulations may require that any alert broadcast decoders (e.g., ENDEC) used for the purposes of broadcasting emergency alert messages on CJKR-FM or on any rebroadcasting transmitters that may appear on the broadcasting licence for that station, be reprogrammed to properly account for the new authorized contours.

Secretary General

This decision is to be appended to the licence.

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