Speech
Opening remarks
by Michel Arpin
Vice-Chairman, Broadcasting
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
at the public hearing in Calgary, Alberta
Calgary, Alberta
February 21, 2006
(CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY)
Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this public hearing.
My name is Michel Arpin and I am the Vice-Chair of Broadcasting for the CRTC. I will be presiding over this hearing. Joining me on the panel are my colleagues, Helen del Val, Regional Commissioner for British Columbia and the Yukon; Elizabeth Duncan, Regional Commissioner for the Atlantic; Ronald Williams, Regional Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and Stuart Langford, National Commissioner.
The Commission team assisting us includes Hearing Manager Steve Parker, Senior Broadcasting Analyst, and Legal Counsel Leanne Bennett, as well as Chantal Boulet, Hearing Secretary. Please speak with her if you have any questions with regard to hearing procedures.
Radio applications
At this hearing we will study 13 applications to operate a new commercial radio station in the Calgary market, more specifically, in the cities of Calgary and Airdrie. Then, for the Lethbridge market, we will look at an application to acquire the assets of specialty radio station CJTS-FM and to change its frequency and power, as well as four applications to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio station in that market.
The applications
The panel will examine the applications in the order of items one to 18 presented in Broadcasting Notice of Public Hearing CRTC
2005-11. Some applications will be competing technically for the use of the same frequencies in the Calgary or Lethbridge markets.
The panel will study the proposals to operate a new radio station in light of the cultural, economic and social objectives defined in the Broadcasting Act and the regulations flowing from it.
The panel will base its decision on several criteria, including the state of competition and the diversity of editorial voices in the market, as well as the quality of the applications. It will also look at the ability of the market to support new radio stations, the financial resources of each applicant, and proposed initiatives for the development of Canadian talent.
Process
I will now invite the Secretary, Ms. Chantal Boulet, to explain the procedures we will be following. Ms. Boulet …
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Date Modified: 2006-02-21
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