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Broadcasting
Decision CRTC 2006-455
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Ottawa, 31 August 2006 |
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1656810 Ontario
Limited
Timmins, Ontario |
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Application 2005-1212-0
Public Hearing in Edmonton, Alberta
19 June 2006 |
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CKTT-FM Timmins,
Ontario – Acquisition of assets
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The Commission denies the
application by 1656810 Ontario Limited to acquire the assets of CKTT-FM
Timmins, Ontario as well as the applicant’s proposal to modify the
service offered by the station from that of a tourist information
station to a commercial specialty FM station offering religious
programming. |
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The application
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1. |
The Commission received an application by
1656810 Ontario Limited (1656180 Ontario), to acquire the assets of the
low-power English-language FM radio programming undertaking CKTT-FM
Timmins from Tri-Tel Communications Inc. |
2. |
Currently, CKTT-FM offers a non-commercial
tourist information service limited to pre-recorded welcome messages,
paid advertising and general information relating to the tourist sites
and events in and around the city of Timmins. As part of its application,
the applicant requested authority to operate the station as a commercial
specialty FM radio programming undertaking offering religious programming
as defined in Religious Broadcasting Policy, Public Notice
CRTC 1993-78,
3 June 1993 (the Religious Broadcasting Policy). The applicant indicated
that it would not pursue the application to acquire the assets of
CKTT-FM should the Commission not approve its proposal change the
station’s format as set out above. |
3. |
In order to effect the proposed change of
format, 1656180 Ontario proposed to delete the following conditions of
licence: |
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- The licensee must use the
station solely for the purpose of broadcasting pre-recorded
welcome messages, paid advertising, and general information
relating to tourist sites and events in and around Timmins,
except for a maximum of 10 hours per week of "live"
broadcasting.
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- The licensee must not broadcast
any musical selection, except as incidental background music.
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4. |
In their place, the applicant proposed to
add the following conditions of licence: |
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- The licensee shall draw at least
95% of the total weekly music from category 35 (non-classic
religious).
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- Where the licensee broadcasts religious programming as defined
in the Religious Broadcasting Policy, Public Notice CRTC
1993-78, 3
June 1993, the licensee shall adhere to the guidelines set out
in sections III.B.2.a and IV of that public notice with respect
to the provision of balance and ethics in religious programming,
as amended from time to time.
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- The licensee shall provide a minimum of 10 hours of balance
programming per broadcast week as defined in the Religious
Broadcasting Policy, Public Notice CRTC 1993-78.
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- The licensee shall provide a
minimum of $100 per year in direct contributions to the
development of Canadian talent.
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5. |
The applicant indicated that the station
would provide a blend of religious spoken word and Christian-based
music. Approximately 44% of the station’s programming would be spoken
word. Overall, 20% of the proposed programming would be live, and a
total of 70% of all the station’s programming would be produced by the
station. The applicant indicated that the station would not provide any
news. The applicant also stated that it would create an advisory board
and review committee that would be charged with reviewing and screening
the station’s programming. |
6. |
The Commission did not receive any
interventions in connection with this application. |
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Commission’s analysis
and determinations
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7. |
The Commission has carefully examined the
applicant’s proposal to change the service offered by CKTT-FM from that
of a tourist information station to a commercial specialty FM station
offering religious programming. |
8. |
The Commission is not satisfied that the
applicant’s plan for ensuring balanced religious programming is
consistent with the duties and responsibilities of a broadcaster that
chooses to focus on religious programming. The Commission is of the view
that the applicant has not presented an adequately developed plan for
providing balanced programming as contemplated by the Religious
Broadcasting Policy. In particular, the Commission finds that the
applicant’s plans with respect to the provision of programming time to
local faith groups and differing faith perspectives are unclear. |
9. |
Moreover, the Commission is not persuaded
that the applicant would provide a sufficiently locally relevant service
to Timmins given the relative lack of local information programming
that the station would provide. In this regard, the Commission notes
that the definition of local programming set out in Commercial
Radio Policy 1998, Public Notice CRTC 1998-41,
30 April 1998, states that licensees "must include 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." |
10. |
The Commission further notes that CHIM-FM
already offers a religious spoken word and music service to the Timmins
area. |
11. |
For all the reasons set out above, the
Commission denies the application by 1656810 Ontario Limited to
acquire the assets of the low-power English-language FM radio
programming undertaking CKTT-FM Timmins from Tri-Tel Communications Inc.
and to operate the station as a commercial specialty FM radio
undertaking offering religious programming. |
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Secretary General |
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This decision 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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