radio - edmonton radio news 2008 - come on down!
new edmonton fm radio licence - hearings held

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CRTC

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The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, referred to by one intervener as "The Supreme Court of Broadcasting," began holding public hearings on May 27th, 2008 to entertain applications for one – possibly two – new FM radio licences for the Edmonton market.


A comprehensive analysis of the 14 applicants can be read here.


The process began on November 14th, 2007 when the CRTC announced it had received an application for a broadcasting licence to provide a commercial radio service to serve Edmonton, Alberta. A call for applications was then issued.


On January 15th, 2008 – two weeks before the application deadline – the CRTC introduced new policies to ensure that a diversity of voices was maintained in the Canadian broadcasting system. Insiders are looking to the current hearings to see what impact the policy may have.


On February 8th, 2008 the CRTC released their list of applications received. Three weeks later, Corus Radio announced that their under-performing CHQT Cool 880 station would be switched from an oldies format to an all news operation. On May 20th, a week before the CRTC hearings were to take place, iNews 880 made its debut.


On March 28th, 2008 Newcap announced that the under-performing Big Earl country format was to make way for 96.3 Capital FM playing "Edmonton's Greatest Hits." Station manager Randy Lemay said the announcement of the Corus station's format switch had nothing to do with re-tooling of CKRA's Big Earl.


What effect the two format switches and the new diversity policy will have on the current hearings won't be known until the fall when the CRTC releases their decision(s).


Global Edmonton image

The hearings took place at the Matrix Hotel Edmonton, 10001 107 Street.


Available at the CRTC web site are a complete list of applications, notices of intervention and the agenda for the hearings.


The first week of the hearings dealt with applications in the Red Deer, Drumheller and Lacombe markets.


Those vying for the Edmonton licence(s) stepped up to the CRTC microphones during the second week.


It is expected the CRTC will hand down its decision some time in the fall of 2008.


Stay tuned ...



... meanwhile, transcripts of the Edmonton applications are on line at the CRTC site, in order of presentation.


Since the transcript web pages aren't indexed, use your brower's FIND function (usually CTRL+F) and enter the line number to locate applications of interest.



Interventions, those speaking for or against applicants, were then heard in the same order as the original applications.




Replies, responses to other applicants, were then heard in reverse order from original presentation.





While CRTC hearings can often be as dry as city council meetings or courthouse trials, there are moments of ... well, hilarity.


As a member of the Melfort, Saskatchewan-based CJVR broadcaster was making his pitch for a Red Deer licence, he said his station's sound would appeal to everyone from 18-year-olds to those in their forties.


Commissioner Marc Patronne said, I have an 18-year-old daughter and I'm over 40 – there's nothing the two of us have in common.


Global Edmonton image

Laughter could be heard leaking into the microphones recording the official process taking place in the 2nd-floor Quartz meeting room at the Matrix Hotel.


Another applicant, Thomas Bolin, finished his presentation for an FM station in Drumheller and began to field questions from the 5-member CRTC panel.


When responding to one of the commissioners, Candace Molnar, Bolin got to talking about the ethnic breakdown of his community.


"Hate to say this," he couched ... and then went on to say the population of Drumheller was basically "white Anglo protestant."


Bolin then said there weren't many Natives in Drumheller ... explaining the closest thing to a Native population in the city was in the penitentiary, where half the population is Native.


He then added they didn't factor in to the demographics because they're not going to get out and buy anything.


Finally, Bolin was asked why the CRTC should pick him over a proven competitor like Newcap, also trying to get an FM licence in Drumheller. Bolin wasn't likely expecting this because he said the CRTC should pick him because ... he's a nice guy.


And that's broadcasting, folks.



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