Licenses to cover were issued this week to Way Broadcasting for both of their AM stations in Blaine.
K239CY will operate on 95.7 FM with 45 watts as a translator for Christian talk/religion 550 KARI. The omni-directional coverage pattern covers Blaine & Birch Bay nicely, but also extends across the “dotted line” providing coverage to White Rock, Cloverdale, Aldergrove & Langley BC – considered part of KARI‘s intended target area.
Way Broadcasting also received permission to launch translator K287CI which will operate on 105.3 mHz with 45 watts & an omni-directional radiation pattern identical to co-sited K239CY. The new translator will rebroadcast the Punjabi & South Asian language variety format of “Radio India” heard on 1600 KVRI. That station is solely targeted to the large South Asian communities of metro Vancouver & it’s suburb cities & has zero interest in serving Whatcom Co. residents. Why a station with 50 kW day & 10 kW nights needs a translator to serve Blaine & Birch Bay is beyond the comprehension of this reporter.
KVRI is a thorn in the side of Canada’s broadcast regulator – the CRTC, who consider the station an unwanted, intruder, “border blaster”. They attempted to have that country’s tax dept. & other federal agencies harass & target Canadian-based “Radio India”, so that company promptly set up an American subsidiary to avoid this. “Radio India” personalities & management have been involved in some controversies over the years that have made them a target.
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