CFWE gets 100KW in Edmonton

[jon]

Original Subject: CFWE wants 100KW in Edmonton



CFWE-FM has asked the CRTC for an increase in power for their Edmonton transmitter from 9300 watts to 100,000 watts, and to continue to run omni-directional. If approved, it will be the first case of "full power" stations on the same frequency in both Edmonton and Calgary. There are other issues, as well.

Distances between the proposed station and co-channel and adjacent channel allotments or assignments were checked using the required distance separations set out in Broadcasting Procedures and Rules, Part 3 and Agreement Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America Relating to the FM Broadcasting Service and the Associated Working Arrangement (dated July 1997) amended February 2001. (D.E.M. Allen engineering report that formed part of the application)

Here are the Required Separation distances in km and the actual distance:

• CIBK-FM Calgary 98.5 - 306/287.1km
• CKUA-FM-10 Athabasca 98.3 - 140/131.3km
• CHFB-FM Bonnyville 98.7 - 195/213.9km
• CFCW-FM Camrose 98.1 - 106/102.9km
• CIZZ-FM Red Deer 98.9 - 131/149.1km

CFWE-FM-4 is on 98.5MHz.

The rationale for the power increase, written by Director of Radio, Boyd Leader (Rhubarb Jones when he was on air at JOE-FM), is summed up in these sentences from the application:

The current power does not give us effective coverage within the city of Edmonton. Our current signal is unavailable to our listeners in most buildings and low lying areas within Edmonton and we regularly receive complaints from listeners about not being able to receive our signal or that there’s too much static to listen.

The location of their transmitter site is Due North of Stony Plain, while all of the other Edmonton FM transmitters are within a few miles of Edmonton City Limits.

[TRENT310]

The CFWE-FM-4 transmitter site is right next to another communication site I maintain over on Highway 779. Sometimes I'm concerned that management believes that switching from AM to FM or from a lower power FM to a higher power FM will solve their problems when the issues are more of a programming, content, and leadership nature.


Speaking of separation distances on co-channel or adjacent-channel stations... how did they allow CIBW 92.9 and CJLD 93.1 to be so close together? Driving from Drayton Valley to Leduc or vice versa, I know when to flip stations when I hear capture effect from the adjacent station which now has a higher RSSI... typically around Sunybrook on Highway 39.

Also, is this waived when the potential interfering station is also owned by the same company or only when they are low-power unprotected classification? The Peace River Broadcasting translators/repeaters for CKYL and CKKX come to mind... again the FM capture effect comes into play when listening to these co-channel repeaters.

[jon]

The deadline was yesterday for Interventions. None have been posted yet, so that probably means there have not been any Interventions.

There are, however, a couple of Procedural Letters from the CRTC that have been posted, the second citing a non-compliance issue for 2011-12 that could cost the station its license. That is worst case scenario. I'm sure that Station Manager Boyd Leader's experience at Corus will allow him to convince the CRTC that corrective measures are already in place to be sure there will be no future non-compliance involving financial statements.

[jon]

CFWE's request for an increase in power to 100KW should see the formal decision this week from the CRTC.

The station's reasoning behind the request makes interesting reading, at least in terms of them moving more towards a traditional commercial station approach of selling advertising as their main source of income. It also talks about them offering separate Internet music streams on the Internet.

Please indicate which section of the Rules of Procedure you wish to vary, and provide a detailed rationale as to why this request should be granted:

We are requesting the Commission make an exception to its Rules of Procedure under Exemption 2 – Administrative Proceedings (CRTC 2012-960). The revised contours do not enter a new market and our proposal will not result in a change of operating class.

On October 17th, 2008 it was the view of the Commission that given the significant Aboriginal population in Edmonton, which was projected to grow, an additional Native radio station in that market would provide a social benefit through the increase exposure of Aboriginal cultures and perspectives. Further, the Commission considered that approval of AMMSA’s application would contribute to the fulfilment of the objectives of the Broadcasting Act that the Commission ensure a place for Aboriginal persons and programming that reflected the Aboriginal cultures of Canada within the Canadian broadcasting system as resources become available for that purpose.

At that time AMMSA committed that, in each broadcast week, at least 7 hours of spoken word programming would be in an Aboriginal language, 20% of all musical selections would be performed by Aboriginal talent and 5% of musical selections would be in Aboriginal language.

In reality we broadcast 15 hours of spoken word programming in an Aboriginal language, 25 to 30% of all musical selections are performed by Aboriginal talent and 5% of musical selections are in Aboriginal language. In addition, 75% of our station identifiers are in an Aboriginal language. We also in the process of launching 3 internet music streams that will feature 100% Aboriginal music content; these streams include Pow Wow, Drum & Round Dance; Rock, Rhythm & Blues and Country & Folk.

Our Edmonton transmitter currently operates on 98.5 MHz (channel 253B1) with an average effective radiated power of 9,300 watts. The current power does not give us effective coverage within the city of Edmonton. Our current signal is unavailable to our listeners in most buildings and low lying areas within Edmonton and we regularly receive complaints from listeners about not being able to receive our signal or that there’s too much static to listen.

We have relied on an annual grant from Heritage Canada to remain on the air. Without that funding our ability to deliver what we have promised is diminished. Grant monies are tenuous at best; our goal is to be self-sufficient with station generated sales. We must be in a position to turn a commercial profit which we would be able to re-invest in the radio station and community. We view this power increase to be a vital step to being a viable choice for advertisers trying to reach listeners within the city of Edmonton and to our survival.

[Boyd Leader]

Hey Jon, thanks for posting the update.

As you can imagine we are pretty excited around here. With our application closing on December 8th of last year it seems like it's been a long time coming, one way or the other. Since the application went in we have launched our "Buffalo Spirit" internet station featuring Pow Wow, Round Dance and Drum music. You can get the link from our website http://www.cfweradio.ca. We are also well on our way with our Rock, Rhythm and Blues station which will be called Raven. This will feature 100% Indigenous Rock, Pop, AC, Urban and Blues music and should be up by the end of September. We have also increased our language content on 98.5 since the application. We've been busy.

Thanks again for the post Jon.

Boyd
boyd@cfweradio.ca

[jon]

No matter how this week's CRTC decision goes, I'm still hoping, once everything settles out with the AVR Appeal, that CFWE can move to AVR's 89.3 MHz frequency with their 100KW non-directional. Then it would be feasible to run off the great FM tower on Highway 60 just South of Highway 16A.

As I read the current application, the current tower site North of Stony Plain was forced by 98.5 MHz's adjacent channel distances in a Short Spacing situation. At that distance, with those adjacent channel stations nearby, I could still see some signal issues in Edmonton, especially in the SouthEast.

[jon]

The CRTC approved the power increase this morning. They were also satisfied with changes made to address non-compliance: a single late filing of an annual report.

The end result is a seven year license renewal to August 31 2022.

The license conditions remain:

CFWE-FM-4 is subject to conditions of licence requiring that it devote, each broadcast week, at least:

• 7 hours of spoken word programming in an Aboriginal language;
  
• 20% of all musical selections to musical selections performed by Aboriginal artists; and
  
• 5% of all musical selections to musical selections in an Aboriginal language.

ref. - http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-411.htm

[skyvalleyradio]

Congratulations Boyd on a well-deserved signal increase. Further to Jon's comments: I would like to hear CFWE or the CIAM Ft Vermillion, CFNR Terrace networks in Canada's major cities - forget about useless AVR. The CRTC should give first consideration to one of these broadcasters that will actually bring some Aboriginal music & public affairs to enrich our airwaves. CFWE could offer a hybrid of Buffalo Spirit Radio & Raven Radio on such a network