ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-568

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Route reference: Part 1 applications posted on 1 June 2012

Ottawa, 16 October 2012

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Windsor and Sarnia, Ontario

Applications 2012-0631-8 and 2012-0655-8

CBEF Windsor – Technical change and new transmitter in Sarnia

1.    The Commission approves the applications by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to amend the broadcasting licence for the radio programming undertaking CBEF Windsor. The first application (2012-0631-8) is to revise the technical parameters of the station in order to change the frequency from 540 to 1550 kHz, to increase the daytime transmitter power from 2,500 to 10,000 watts (nighttime transmitter power from 5,000 to 10,000 watts) and to relocate the antenna site to Maidstone.

2.    The second application (2012-0655-8) is to amend the broadcasting licence for CBEF by adding an FM transmitter in Sarnia to rebroadcast the programming of the CBC’s national French-language network service La Première Chaîne. The new transmitter will operate at 98.3 MHz (channel 252A) with an average effective radiated power of 2,320 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 113.7 metres).

Technical change

3.    In its first application, the CBC stated that a serious rust problem was discovered during a tower inspection at CBEF’s site in August 2011. In order to solve this problem and to maintain CBEF’s current technical parameters, the replacement of four obsolete towers would have been necessary, thus resulting in costs of $600,000.

4.    Given that the CBC owns a second AM site in the Windsor region and that it has not been in service since 30 September 2011, the licensee proposed to relocate the CBEF station to this site, which is CBE’s (Radio One’s) former site in Maidstone on frequency 1550 kHz. The CBC stated that the site was in good condition and no investment was expected in the upcoming years.

5.    The Commission notes that it received two interventions in connection with the first application, including an intervention that raised a concern with regards to the quality of the signal in the Chatham Kent region. In its reply, the CBC stated that not only would the quality not decrease in this region, but it would actually increase. The Commission is satisfied with CBC’s reply.

New transmitter

6.    In its second application, the CBC stated that the technical amendment proposed in its first application would result in loss of coverage for its French-language service La Première Chaîne in the Sarnia region. The CBC proposed the addition of a new FM broadcasting transmitter in Sarnia to alleviate this loss in coverage. The new transmitter will allow the listeners of Sarnia to receive the programming of CBEF Windsor. The Commission received an intervention in support of this second application.

7.    The transmitter 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 16 October 2014. 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 that date.

8.    The Commission reminds the licensee that pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, these authorities will only be effective when the Department of Industry notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that broadcasting certificates will be issued.

Secretary General

* This decision is to be appended to the licence.

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