ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-362

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Route reference: 2013-154

Ottawa, 2 August 2013

Prince George Community Radio Society
Prince George, British Columbia

Application 2012-0586-5, received 10 May 2012
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
27 May 2013

English-language community FM radio station in Prince George

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station in Prince George, British Columbia.

The application

1. The Commission received an application by the Prince George Community Radio Society (Prince George Community Radio) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station in Prince George, British Columbia. The Commission received interventions in support of the application.

2. Prince George Community Radio is a not-for-profit corporation controlled by its board of directors.

3. In Broadcasting Decision 2006-653, the Commission approved an application by Prince George Community Radio for a developmental community radio station in Prince George.[1] In Public Notice 2000-13, the Commission stated that developmental community radio stations would generally be licensed for a three-year term and that at the end of this term licensees would be expected to have filed an application with the Commission for a broadcasting licence for a community radio station, or cease operations. Prince George Community Radio filed the present application for a community radio station in order to continue the operation of its current station, as set out in Public Notice 2000-13.

4. In Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499, the Commission announced a number of changes to the regulatory framework for campus and community radio stations. Prince George Community Radio confirmed that it would adhere to this policy.

5. The new station would operate at 93.1 MHz (channel 226A) with an effective radiated power of 494 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of -34.5 metres).[2]

6. Prince George Community Radio indicated that the station would broadcast 126 hours of programming each broadcast week, of which 110 hours would be station-produced programming. It would acquire the rest of the programming from Canadian and international syndicated or community radio sources.

7. The applicant further indicated that spoken word programming would consist of local and regional news, coverage of local sports events, and programming featuring the work of local musicians and authors.

8. Prince George Community Radio stated that the station’s musical programming would be drawn from content category 2 (easy listening, pop, rock and dance, and country) as well as from content category 3 (concert, folk and folk-oriented, jazz and blues, and non-classic religious).

9. With respect to the promotion of Canadian local talent, Prince George Community Radio stated that it would broadcast a feature three times each weekday that showcases a song from an artist in the region. It would also develop other programs to promote local and lesser-known Canadian talent.

10. Prince George Community Radio stated that volunteers would be responsible for producing the majority of the station’s programming. The applicant is developing a volunteer training policy, and the operations manager will monitor the work of volunteers.

Commission’s decision

11. The Commission expects community radio stations to provide programming differing in style and substance from that provided by other elements of the broadcasting system, particularly commercial radio stations and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Such programming should consist of music, especially Canadian music, not generally heard on commercial stations (including special interest music, as well as styles of popular music seldom broadcast), in-depth spoken word programming and programming targeted to specific groups within the community.

12. In light of all of the above, the Commission is satisfied that the application is consistent with the provisions for community radio stations set out in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-499. Accordingly, the Commission approves the application by the Prince George Community Radio Society for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Prince George, British Columbia. The terms and conditions of licence are set out in the appendix to this decision.

Secretary General

Related documents

*This decision is to be appended to the licence.

Appendix to Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-362

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for the English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Prince George, British Columbia

Terms

The licence will come into effect on 1 September 2013 and will expire 31 August 2020.

The station will operate at 93.1 MHz (channel 226A) with an effective radiated power of 494 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of -34.5 metres).

The Commission reminds the applicant that pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, no licence may be issued until the Department of Industry notifies the Commission that its technical requirements have been met and that a broadcasting certificate will be issued.

The Commission requires the applicant to file, within 12 months of the date of this decision, a copy of its amended and executed by-laws demonstrating that it is in compliance with the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility of non-Canadians) at all times.

Furthermore, the licence for this undertaking will be issued once the applicant has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations. The undertaking 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 2 August 2015. In order to ensure that such a request is processed in a timely manner, it should be submitted at least 60 days before this date.

Conditions of licence

1. The licensee shall adhere to the conditions of licence set out in Standard conditions of licence for campus and community radio stations, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2012-304, 22 May 2012.

Expectation

Filing of ownership information

As set out in Campus and community radio policy, Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2010-499, 22 July 2010, the Commission expects all community and campus licensees to file yearly updates on the composition of their boards of directors. These annual updates can be submitted at the time of submission of annual returns, following annual board of directors’ elections, or at any other time. As noted in Appendix 3 to that regulatory policy, licensees may submit such documentation via the Commission’s website.

Encouragement

Employment equity

The Commission considers that community radio stations should be particularly sensitive to employment equity issues in order to reflect fully the communities they serve. It encourages the licensee to consider these issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management of human resources.

Footnotes

[1] The licence was administratively renewed in Broadcasting Decisions 2009-506 and 2009-785.

[2] These technical parameters reflect those approved by the Department of Industry.

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