Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Postby radiofan » Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:44 am

In regards to CKNW's application for a nested FM repeater in Vancouver, a number of interventions have been submitted to the CRTC.
Most of the "for" are from various Vancouver Business leaders, and the "against" are from other broadcast companies.

https://services.crtc.gc.ca/pub/ListeIn ... t=i&lang=e
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Re: Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Postby jon » Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:09 am

Don Shafer of Roundhouse Radio (RHR) summarizes his intervention as follows:
a. The Applicant has not followed procedure by failing to notify RHR and other radio broadcasters licensed to serve Vancouver;
b. The Applicant could and should have raised any concerns about the licensing of a new Vancouver radio station as part of the public process that resulted in the licensing of RHR;
c. The Applicant’s proposal does not represent the best possible use of a scarce and valuable public resource;
d. Approval of the application would prevent the use of 99.9 MHz by another broadcaster;
e. If approved, the Applicant would essentially have another radio station duplicating much of CKNW’s AM coverage area on the FM band;
f. The application contravenes the Commission’s long-standing Common Ownership Policy; and
g. Approval of the application would jeopardize the success of RHR and would go against CRTC Decision 2014-554 giving new entrants two years to get established.

Bell Media summarized their intervention with:
a. The technical issues impacting CKNW are not unique to the station as all urban AM stations suffer from similar problems;
b. The addition of an FM rebroadcasting transmitter violates the Policy;
c. An exception is not warranted; and
d. Current precedents do not apply.
e. In addition, in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2013-572, Call for comments on a targeted review for the commercial radio sector, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB), representing the majority of private radio broadcasters, submitted comments on a variety of issues, including proposed amendments to the Policy to allow for the transition of heritage AM stations to the FM band. However, the Commission declined to consider this issue, leaving the current Policy framework intact.

I've loaded PDF copies of each of the full intervention letters for easy access:
Roundhouse - http://radiowest.ca/misc/cknwfmrhr.pdf
Bell - http://radiowest.ca/misc/cknwfmbell.pdf
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Re: Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Postby jon » Tue Dec 02, 2014 2:53 pm

There were two more Interventions posted this morning by the CRTC. One each from Rogers and Pattison.

Rogers was neutral and Pattison was negative:
Rogers - http://radiowest.ca/misc/cknwfmrogers.pdf
Pattison - http://radiowest.ca/misc/cknwfmpatt.pdf

The main point in the Rogers intervention was:
we agree with Corus that the addition of a nested FM rebroadcast transmitter within the licensed service area of an existing AM station should not violate the COP. Accordingly, we submit that should the Commission approve this application for a nested FM transmitter then it must be prepared to grant the same remedy to other AM stations experiencing such technical interference regardless of whether the licensee already owns and operates two FM stations in the market.

Pattison's summary reads:
This application if approved in our respectful opinion, will certainly open the door to the other AM licence holders in the market to apply for a third FM licence to level the competitive play field. This is not in the public interest or that of circumventing the Commission’s long standing Commercial Radio Policy. As stated earlier, it would also be a competitive “imbalance” for our 2 Pattison stations in the marketplace as well!

Both are worth a full read, which is why I've loaded these two for easy access.
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Re: Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Postby Jim Walters » Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:39 pm

If Corus and CKNW are so commited to the News/Talk format, perhaps they should take a big leap and apply to move the current CKNW format to CFMI or CFOX.

Rogers brings up a good point about CKWX's impaired AM signal. If NW gets a repeater, so should CKWX.

If they do get the FM repeater, what's to stop Corus from then changing the format of NW to music, and then suddenly Corus would have three FM signals playing music while everyone else has two?

The AM signal problem isn't something new, it's been around for decades. The CRTC weren't the ones who made the bone headed decision to move the transmitter to Cloverdale.

As I've seen mentioned here several times in the past, move NW to 730. They put a nice siganl into downtown.

More than reception problems, I'd suggest the bigger problem is the programming. There's nothing there to attract a younger audience to AM or FM.

I hope the CRTC gives this one a resounding NO.
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Re: Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Postby Jack Bennest » Sat Dec 06, 2014 11:31 pm

:worthybow:

The Commission stated in CRTC Notice 2013-572: “The overview of the commercial radio industry suggests that this sector is in good financial health and has shown resilience over the years. The Commission notes that conventional radio tuning has remained relatively stable over the last seven years, despite audience fragmentation due to the introduction of new technologies and new audio content distribution platforms. Conventional radio endures as it has many features that are appealing to consumers: it is free; its devices are affordable and easily available; it is easy to access content; and content is local and hence more likely to be relevant.”

Well that is my education :salute: for the day. Doesn't explain why so many people have left radio to their cars and moved on.......

I do like the phrase - local and likely relevant. Boy if you don't have that - you're dead. :argue:
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Re: Interventions regarding CKNW's FM application

Postby jon » Tue Dec 09, 2014 1:44 pm

Interventions closed on December 1st.

There were 25 in all. The ones mentioned above were the only four that weren't 100% Positive.
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