CRTC decision Aug 7 2015
The Commission denies an application by Four Senses Entertainment Inc. (Four Senses) to amend the broadcasting licence for CKEE-FM Whistler, British Columbia, by adding a new rebroadcasting transmitter in North Vancouver. It also denies an application by Corus Premium Television Ltd. (Corus) to amend the broadcasting licence for CKNW New Westminster, British Columbia, by adding a nested FM rebroadcasting transmitter in Vancouver. A nested rebroadcasting transmitter is a transmitter within the coverage contours of the originating station to supplement coverage to an area experiencing reduced signal quality.
The applicants proposed to use adjacent frequencies so the applications are mutually exclusive on a technical basis. The Commission therefore considers it appropriate to consider both applications in the same decision.
Four Senses application
The Commission considers that the proposed transmitter in North Vancouver is not necessary for the applicant to provide the service that it originally proposed for Whistler. Further, rebroadcasting CKEE-FM in North Vancouver does not constitute the best use of the proposed frequency, given that it could be used for an originating station to serve the market.
Corus application
The Commission considers that the applicant’s proposal does not represent an appropriate solution to interference issues in downtown Vancouver given that the technical parameters are greater than what is necessary for that purpose. Use of the proposed frequency for a rebroadcasting transmitter would also prohibit the use of 99.9 MHz, an adjacent frequency, for a radio station that originates programming. Further, the addition of a nested FM transmitter under the proposed technical parameters would result in Corus having a third FM presence in the Vancouver market, contrary to the Commission’s common ownership policy. The Commission considers that an exception to the common ownership policy is not warranted.
http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-359.htm
