|
Decision CRTC 2001-9
|
|
Ottawa, 11 January 2001
|
|
1158556 Ontario Ltd., doing business under the name of Celestial Sound
Timmins; Iroquois Falls; and Kirkland Lake, Ontario
1999-1627-7, 1999-1139-2, 1999-1156-6
|
|
Applications processed by Public Notice CRTC 2000-112
dated 4 August 2000
|
|
Licence renewal and addition of transmitters for CHIM-FM Approved
|
|
Request to broadcast advertising Denied
|
1. |
The Commission renews the broadcasting licence for CHIM-FM
Timmins, from 1 March 2001 to 31 August 2007, subject to the
conditions specified in the licence to be issued as also set out in
Public Notice CRTC 1999-137. |
2. |
The Commission approves the licensee's applications to add: |
|
- a low-power FM transmitter at Iroquois Falls, operating on
frequency 102.7 MHz, channel 274LP, with an effective radiated
power of 1.6 watts; and
|
|
- a low-power FM transmitter at Kirkland Lake, operating on frequency
99.1 MHz, channel 256LP, with an effective radiated power of
1.6 watts.
|
|
Request to broadcast advertising
|
3. |
The Commission denies the licensee's request to delete
CHIM-FM's current condition of licence prohibiting it from broadcasting
commercial messages and to replace it with a condition that would allow
the station to broadcast a maximum of 6 minutes of advertising each
hour. |
4. |
The Commission's policy on local programming for radio is set out in
Public Notice CRTC 1998-41.
It states that licensees wishing to solicit or accept local advertising
in markets served by more than one private commercial radio station
generally must devote at least one-third of the station's weekly
programming to local programming. The policy also requires that, as part
of their local programming, licensees should provide spoken word material
of direct and particular relevance to the community served, such as local
news, weather and sports, and the promotion of local events and
activities. |
5. |
In its application, the licensee stated that, during the new licence
term, it would broadcast news, weather and sports reports nine times
daily as part of its local programming. The licensee planned to rely on
volunteer staff to gather, write, produce and air this programming. The
station would also broadcast numerous public service announcements and
promote community events. The licensee, however, did not indicate the
level of financial resources it would allocate to producing news, weather
and sports programming. |
6. |
In the Commission's view, an applicant must demonstrate that the
proposed level of financial and human resources directed toward the
production of programming, in general, and to local programming, in
particular, are adequate to meet the local programming policy and to
carry out its own proposed programming commitments. |
7. |
The Commission considers that the licensee's failure to provide
information regarding the amount of money it would devote to producing
news, weather and sports, as well as its plans to rely only on volunteers
to produce such programming call into question its ability to carry out
its proposed commitments to local spoken word programming. Further, the
Commission is not convinced that the licensee would be able to fulfil the
requirement that the station produce an amount of high-quality local
programming commensurate with the size and needs of the Timmins
community. |
|
Other matters
|
8. |
The Commission encourages the licensee to consider employment equity
issues in its hiring practices and in all other aspects of its management
of human resources (PN 1992-59). |
9. |
The Department of Industry has advised that the applications to add
the transmitters are conditionally technically acceptable, subject to
determination that there will be no unacceptable interference with
NAV/COM services. When the Department has certified that broadcasting
certificates have been or will be issued, the authorities for the
transmitters approved in this decision will be valid (section 22(1) of
the Broadcasting Act).
|
10. |
The Commission has taken into consideration the many interventions
submitted in support of these applications. |
|
Related CRTC documents
|
|
- Public Notice 1999-137
New licence form for commercial radio stations
|
|
- Public Notice 1998-41
Commercial Radio Policy, 1998
|
|
Secretary General
|
|
This decision is to be appended to the licence. It is available in
alternative format upon request, and may also be examined at the
following Internet site: http://www.crtc.gc.ca |