ARCHIVED - Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-68

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Route reference: 2012-475

Ottawa, 20 February 2013

Nostalgia Broadcasting Cooperative Inc.
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Application 2009-1314-6, received 25 September 2009
Public hearing in the National Capital Region
7 November 2012

Community radio station in Winnipeg

The Commission approves an application for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio station in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The application

1. The Commission received an application by Nostalgia Broadcasting Cooperative Inc. (Nostalgia) for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Winnipeg.1 The Commission received interventions in support of this application.

2. Nostalgia is a cooperative controlled by its board of directors.

3. The proposed station would operate on frequency 93.7 MHz (channel 229A) with an average effective radiated power of 460 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 111.6 metres).

4. The applicant indicated that, during each broadcast week, the station would broadcast 126 hours of programming, of which 100 hours would be local, station-produced programming. The remainder would be syndicated programming obtained from Canadian and international syndicated or community sources. The programming of the proposed station would target the senior demographic community in Winnipeg (i.e., adults 50 years of age and older).

5. Spoken word programming would consist of local and regional news, weather, community announcements, interviews, and news and opinion programming such as Currie’s Corner, a program containing commentaries on various topics of interest to the community.

6. A total of 20% of the station’s musical programming would be devoted to Jazz and blues, Folk and folk-oriented, and Concert music selections, with the remainder drawn from a variety of popular and specialty genres, including Pop, rock and dance, Country and country-oriented, and Easy listening. Further, Nostalgia committed to playing musical selections from Canadian artists, and artists from Winnipeg in particular, noting that the playing of such musical selections has always been the policy of its station CJNU-FM Winnipeg as well as an expectation of its volunteer announcers.

7. In regard to the promotion of local talent, Nostalgia indicated that it would interview local artists, which would help develop the artists’ careers and help build their audience. The applicant added that it has developed connections with several local festivals that present local artists, including the Manitoba Seniors Music Festival, which gives performers from the local community local exposure and an opportunity to develop their performance skills. Nostalgia further noted that it would actively solicit music submissions from new Canadian artists.

8. In regard to the use and training of volunteers, the applicant indicated that its volunteers would program the majority of the content at its station and that they would be responsible for the programming production and content. It further indicated that its volunteers are monitored by a programming committee comprised of experienced volunteers who have a background in music and/or broadcasting, and who can implement additional training and mentoring if required.

Commission’s decision

9. 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.

10.  In this regard, the Commission notes that the proposed community station would target the generally underserved senior citizen community and would offer a range of spoken word and music programming not currently offered by existing services. The Commission is therefore 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 Nostalgia Broadcasting Cooperative Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Winnipeg. 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 2013-68

Terms, conditions of licence, expectation and encouragement for the English-language community FM radio programming undertaking in Winnipeg, Manitoba

Terms

The licence will expire 31 August 2019.

The station will operate on frequency 93.7 MHz (channel 229A) with an average effective radiated power of 460 watts (non-directional antenna with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 111.6 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.

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 20 February 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 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

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 filing of annual returns, following annual board of directors’ elections or at any other time. 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.

Footnote

[1] In Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2012-223, the Commission announced that it had received this application by Nostalgia. Given the scarcity of frequencies in the Winnipeg radio market, the Commission, in that same notice, called for applications from other parties wishing to obtain a radio licence to serve that area. However, that call for applications resulted in low interest from other parties, with no other party expressing an interest in the use of the frequency 93.7 MHz (channel 229) to serve Winnipeg. Accordingly, the Commission determined that it would be appropriate to consider the application by Nostalgia on its own merits.

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