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Ottawa, 22 September 1986
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Decision CRTC 86-919
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Opeongo Broadcasting Company Ltd.
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Renfrew and Arnprior, Ontario - 860571900 - 860572700
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Following a Public Hearing in Hull, Quebec on 17 June 1986, the Commission approves the applications for authority to transfer effective control of Opeongo Broadcasting Company Limited, licensee of CKOB Renfrew and CKOA Arnprior, through the transfer of 9,000 common shares and 90 preferred shares from Jamie B. Pole to Neil MacMullen, on behalf of a company to be incorporated.
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As a result of this transaction, the purchaser will acquire effective control of the licensee through the ownership of 100% of the common voting shares. However, Mr. Pole will remain as a Director and will also continue to act as assistant engineer.
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The Commission notes that Mr. MacMullen currently owns six radio stations in Nova Scotia, and has more than 20 years of broadcasting experience.
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Although Mr. MacMullen will not reside in the area, at the hearing he indicated that he would spend time there to establish the undertaking, and would visit the undertaking on a monthly basis thereafter. He also outlined steps to be taken to maintain and improve the service offered by the stations.
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Mr. MacMullen stated that the stations would continue to be run by the management teams that are now in place, with the addition of the addition of two staff members from his Maritime radio stations. Furthermore, Mr. MacMullen stated that a special communication system would be established to link the Nova Scotia and Ontario operations and that the Ontario managers would report to him daily.
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With respect to the orientation of programming, Mr. MacMullen proposes to assume the existing Promise of Performance for these stations. However, he did state that there would be an increase in staff to 18 from the present level of 12, and that this would contribute to improved program quality. When asked what he would do about the shortfalls in Canadian content that the Renfrew and Arnprior stations have experienced in the past, he replied that he considered Canadian content to be an essential element of programming and that, under his management, the stations would always meet or exceed the requirement.
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Fernand Bélisle
Secretary General
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