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Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-574
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Ottawa, 12 October 2006 |
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Blackburn Radio Inc.
Bluewater, Ontario |
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Application 2006-0495-1
Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2006-62
15 May 2006 |
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CIBU-FM Wingham – New transmitter in Bluewater
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The Commission approves the
application by Blackburn Radio Inc. to add a transmitter in Bluewater to
broadcast the programming of CIBU-FM Wingham. |
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The application
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1. |
The Commission received an application by
Blackburn Radio Inc. (Blackburn) to amend the broadcasting licence for
the commercial radio programming undertaking CIBU-FM Wingham in order to
add an FM transmitter in Bluewater. The proposed transmitter would
operate at 91.7 MHz (channel 219A) with an average effective radiated
power of 2,288 watts. |
2. |
Blackburn indicated that terrain blockage
along the shore of Lake Huron and co-channel interference from U.S.
station WCEN-FM Mount Pleasant are causing signal deficiencies
throughout Southern Huron County. Blackburn stated that the
proposed transmitter would allow it to adequately serve the population
of Southern Huron County and the Lake Huron shoreline. |
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Interventions
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3. |
The Commission received several
interventions in support of the application from various charitable
organizations, municipal representatives, elected officials and business
owners. Some noted the station’s involvement in the community while
others expressed their desire to receive the CIBU-FM signal in the
proposed locations. |
4. |
The Commission also received a comment from
Bayshore Broadcasting Corporation (Bayshore), the licensee of CFOS-AM,
CIXK-FM and CKYC-FM Owen Sound and CFPS-FM Port Elgin.1
Bayshore did not oppose Blackburn’s request for a transmitter to address
CIBU-FM’s signal deficiencies and co-channel interference problems in
the station’s principal marketing area. Bayshore expressed concern,
however, as to whether Blackburn’s application represented the best use
of the remaining available frequencies in the market. Bayshore stated
that it intends to apply to the Commission for a licence to operate a
local service to serve Goderich using the same 91.7 MHz frequency and
suggested that Blackburn use another, "more appropriate" frequency. |
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Applicant’s reply
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5. |
In response to Bayshore’s intervention,
Blackburn explained that it requires the proposed transmitter to
adequately serve its core audience. It reiterated that Southern Huron
County currently has difficulty receiving CIBU-FM because of signal
deficiencies and co-channel interference. Blackburn noted that it
commissioned an engineering firm to measure the field strength in the
Wingham market area. According to the firm’s report, Goderich and South
of Goderich had average field strengths of 45.6 dBuV/m and 43.2 dBuV/m,
respectively. Blackburn noted that according to the Department of
Industry’s (the Department’s) Broadcasting Procedures and Rules, Part 3
(BPR-3), Section C-1.1.18, a minimum field strength of 0.5 mV/m (54 dBuV/m)
is required for satisfactory service to secondary target centres. |
6. |
Furthermore, Blackburn indicated that 91.7
MHz is the only frequency that would solve the above-noted technical
problems. It also stated that its application represents the best use of
91.7 MHz. |
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Commission’s analysis and determination
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7. |
The Commission notes that CIBU-FM’s signal
is not adequately reaching the population of Southern Huron County,
which represents a significant portion of the station’s central market
area. It further notes that the field strengths of some of these
communities are inferior to the level required for satisfactory service
to secondary target centres. |
8. |
The Commission considers that the proposed
transmitter in Bluewater would mitigate the signal deficiencies and
co-channel interference in Southern Huron County and allow for clear
reception of CIBU-FM in the communities west of Wingham, including
Goderich, South of Goderich, Clinton and other area communities. |
9. |
The Commission acknowledges Bayshore’s
intervention but also notes that an alternative frequency is available.
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10. |
In light of the foregoing, the Commission
approves the application by Blackburn Radio Inc. to add an FM
transmitter at Bluewater to broadcast the programming of CIBU-FM Wingham.
The transmitter will operate at 91.7 MHz (channel 219A) with an average
effective radiated power of 2,288 watts. |
11. |
The Commission reminds the licensee that,
pursuant to section 22(1) of the Broadcasting Act, this authority
will only be effective when the Department notifies the Commission that
its technical requirements have been met, and that a broadcasting
certificate will be issued. |
12. |
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 12 October 2008. 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. |
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Secretary General |
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This decision is to be appended to the
licence. It is available in alternative format upon request, and may
also be examined in PDF format or in
HTML at the following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca
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Footnote:
The Commission also recently approved
an application by Bayshore for a broadcasting licence to operate a
commercial FM radio station in Wasaga Beach in English-language
FM radio station in Wasaga Beach, Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-507,
13 September 2006. |