Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-122

References: Part 1 licence renewal applications posted on 29 September 2022 and 27 October 2022

Ottawa, 3 May 2023

Blackgold Radio Inc.
Ponoka and Stony Plain/Spruce Grove, Alberta

Public record: 2022-0429-6 and 2022-0430-4

CKPA-FM Ponoka and CKSS-FM Stony Plain/Spruce Grove – Licence renewals

The Commission has the authority, pursuant to subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Act (the Act), to issue and renew licences for such terms not exceeding seven years and subject to such conditions related to the circumstances of the licensee as it deems appropriate for the implementation of the broadcasting policy set out in subsection 3(1) of the Act.

Consistent with that authority, the Commission renews the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio programming undertakings listed below from 1 September 2023 to 31 August 2030.^{Footnote 1} The Commission did not receive any interventions in regard to these applications. The terms and conditions of licence for these stations are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Commercial radio stations operating in Alberta

Call sign and locality	Application
CKPA-FM Ponoka	2022-0430-4
CKSS-FM Stony Plain/Spruce Grove	2022-0429-6

Reminders

Local news

Radio stations are an important daily source of local news and information for communities. Holding a broadcasting licence comes with conditions, regulatory obligations and responsibilities, which include contributing to the Canadian broadcasting system by ensuring that Canadians have access to local programming that reflects their needs and interests and informs them of important current issues.
Although Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332 does not specify a minimum level of weekly news to be broadcast, it does specify the type of spoken word material that must be included as part of a station’s local programming. In accordance with that regulatory policy, the Commission reminds the licensee that its stations, in their local programming, must incorporate spoken word material of direct and particular relevance to the communities served, and that this programming must include local news, weather, sports coverage, and the promotion of local events and activities. In addition, the Commission encourages the licensee to ensure that a reasonable amount of daily local news and information is made available to those communities.

Force and effect of broadcasting licences

Pursuant to section 22 of the Act, the broadcasting licences renewed in this decision will cease to have any force or effect if the broadcasting certificates issued by the Department of Industry (also known as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) lapse.

Remaining Canadian content development contributions for CKPA-FM Ponoka

In Broadcasting Decision 2016-356, the Commission approved an application by Blackgold Broadcasting Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Ponoka. The station launched as CKPA-FM in 2021. In that decision, the Commission required the licensee, by condition of licence, to make for the station, in addition to the basic annual contribution to Canadian content development (CCD) set out in section 15 of the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations), an annual over-and-above CCD contribution of $5,000 ($35,000 over seven consecutive broadcast years from the beginning of operations) to the promotion and development of Canadian content.^{Footnote 2}
Based on this payment schedule, the licensee will have fulfilled its over-and-above CCD contribution requirement by the end of the 2027-2028 broadcast year, after which it will only be subject to the basic annual CCD contribution requirement set out in the Regulations. Accordingly, the licensee will be subject to the condition of licence that the Commission originally imposed on CKPA-FM in Broadcasting Decision 2016-356, but with modifications that reflect the remaining broadcast years during which the licensee must make over-and-above CCD contributions and the pro-rated amount that it must contribute. This condition of licence is set out in the appendix to this decision.

Practical guide for radio licence renewals

To learn more about the Commission’s review of compliance with requirements relating to radio licences, and about the radio renewal process, please consult the Commission’s Practical guide to radio licence renewals.

Secretary General

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-122

Terms, conditions of licence, expectations and encouragement for the commercial radio programming undertakings for which the broadcasting licences have been renewed in this decision

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2030.

Conditions of licence applicable to all stations

The licensee shall adhere to the conditions of licence set out in Revised conditions of licence for commercial AM and FM radio stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-334, 7 December 2022, as well as to the conditions set out in the broadcasting licence for the undertaking.

Additional conditions of licence applicable to CKPA-FM Ponoka, Alberta

The licensee shall, as an exception to the percentage of Canadian musical selections set out in subsections 2.2(8) and 2.2(9) of the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations), in any broadcast week:
- devote, in that broadcast week, a minimum of 40% of its musical selections from content category 2 (Popular Music) to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety; and
- devote, between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., in the period from Monday to Friday of the same broadcast week, a minimum of 40% of its musical selections from content category 2 to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety.
For the purposes of this condition, the terms “broadcast week,” “Canadian selection,” “content category” and “musical selection” shall have the same meanings as those set out in the Regulations.
To fulfill its commitments to Canadian content development (CCD) set out in the appendix to English-language FM radio station in Ponoka, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2016-356, 2 September 2016, and re-imposed in CKSS-FM Stony Plain/Spruce Grove and CKPA-FM Ponoka – Acquisition of assets (corporate reorganization), Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-258, 20 July 2017, in addition to the basic annual contribution to CCD set out in section 15 of the Radio Regulations, 1986, the licensee shall make an annual contribution of $5,000 starting in the first year of the licence term for a total of $25,000 over five consecutive broadcast years to the promotion and development of Canadian content. Of this amount, the licensee shall allocate no less than 20% per broadcast year to FACTOR or Musicaction. The remainder shall be allocated to parties and initiatives that fulfill the criteria for eligible initiatives set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022. Examples of eligible and ineligible initiatives are provided on the Commission’s Canadian Content Development Contributions and Eligible Initiatives webpage.

Additional conditions of licence applicable to CKSS-FM Stony Plain/Spruce Grove, Alberta

The licensee shall, as an exception to the percentage of Canadian musical selections set out in subsections 2.2(8) and 2.2(9) of the Radio Regulations, 1986 (the Regulations), and subject to subsection 2.2(6) of the Regulations, in any broadcast week:
- devote, in that broadcast week, a minimum of 40% of its musical selections from content category 2 (Popular Music) to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety; and
- devote, between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., in the period from Monday to Friday of the same broadcast week, a minimum of 40% of its musical selections from content category 2 to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety.
For the purposes of this condition, the terms “broadcast week,” “Canadian selection,” “content category” and “musical selection” shall have the same meanings as those set out in the Regulations.
The licensee shall not solicit advertising material from the Edmonton market.

Expectations applicable to all stations

Cultural diversity

The Commission expects the licensee to reflect the cultural diversity of Canada in its programming and employment practices.

Canadian emerging artists

Consistent with the Commission’s determination set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022 (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332), the Commission expects the licensee to devote, in each broadcast week, at least 5% of the station’s musical selections to selections from Canadian emerging artists broadcast in their entirety. The licensee should report annually on how it has met this expectation, including the percentage of selections from Canadian emerging artists out of the total number of musical selections that were aired, and the number of distinct artists whose music has been aired. The licensee should also be able to provide, upon request, information such as a list of all titles, artists, and International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) numbers.

For the purposes of the above paragraph, the definition of “Canadian emerging artist” is the same as that set out in paragraph 346 of Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332.

Indigenous musical selections

Consistent with the Commission’s determination set out in Revised Commercial Radio Policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2022-332, 7 December 2022 (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332), the Commission expects the licensee to include Indigenous musical selections on the station’s playlist. The licensee should report annually on the amount of Indigenous content aired on the station throughout the broadcast year (i.e., from 1 September to 31 August), including the percentage of Indigenous musical selections out of the total number of musical selections that were aired, and the number of distinct artists whose music has been aired. The licensee should also be able to provide, upon request, information such as a list of all titles, artists, and International Standard Recording Code (ISRC) numbers.

For the purposes of the above paragraph, the licensee may use the provisional definition of “Indigenous-Canadian musical selection” set out in paragraph 441 of Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2022-332 to determine whether a musical selection can be considered an Indigenous musical selection.

Encouragement applicable to all stations

In accordance with Implementation of an employment equity policy, Public Notice CRTC 1992-59, 1 September 1992, the Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

Date modified:: 2023-05-03

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