The Commission announces that it has received an application by Dufferin Communications Inc. to change the frequency of its station CIRR-FM Toronto from 103.9 MHz to 88.1 MHz, as well as to increase its transmitter power. Given the scarcity of FM frequencies in the Toronto market, the Commission calls for applications from other parties wishing to obtain a radio licence to serve this area.
Persons interested in responding to this call must submit a duly completed application to the Commission by 19 December 2024 using the appropriate application form for a licence to operate a new radio station. Applicants are also required to submit all necessary technical documentation to the Department of Industry (the Department) by the same date.
It should be noted that, in making this call, the Commission has not reached any conclusion on the licensing of any service at this time.
Applicants will be required to provide evidence giving clear indication that there is demand and a market for the station and the proposed service.
In assessing applications for new commercial radio services in a market, the Commission will consider the following factors, which were first set out in Introductory statement - Licensing of new radio stations, Decision CRTC 1999-480, 28 October 1999.
In its analysis, the Commission will evaluate the applicant's programming proposal and commitments in a number of areas. These will include the manner in which the applicant will reflect the local community, including the community's diversity and distinct nature. Accordingly, the Commission will consider commitments related to local programming and the benefits that such programming will bring to the community.
The Commission will also consider commitments regarding the percentage of Canadian content of musical selections, contributions to Canadian content development and, where applicable, the percentage of French-language vocal music.
The Commission does not regulate the format of AM or FM stations that base their programming on popular music. The Commission will however assess the applicant's business plan in light of the proposed format since the two are interrelated. The business plan should clearly demonstrate the applicant's ability to fulfill its proposed programming plans and commitments. Further, the Commission will examine the programming proposals submitted by the applicants to determine which overall proposal best suits the market.
This factor relates to concerns regarding concentration of ownership and cross media ownership. The Commission has stated that it seeks to strike a balance between its concerns for preserving a diversity of news voices in a market and the benefits of permitting increased consolidation of ownership within the radio industry.
The Commission will therefore assess how approval of the application would add to or serve to maintain the diversity of voices available in the market and how approval of the application would increase the diversity of programming available to listeners.
The possibility that licensing too many stations in a market could lead to a reduction in the quality of service to the local community remains of concern to the Commission. The economic condition of the market and the likely financial impact of the proposed station on existing stations in the market will therefore be relevant.
The Commission will therefore evaluate how the proposed station's programming, general and core target audience and projected audience share overlaps stations already present in the market. While the Commission may also consider the profitability of existing station groups in the market in its assessment of the proposed station on existing ones, this will be only one factor in its evaluation.
In markets with fewer than eight commercial stations operating in a given language, the Commission's common ownership policy permits a person to own a maximum of three stations, with a maximum of two in any one frequency band. In markets with eight commercial stations or more, a person may own a maximum of two FM and two AM stations in any given language. The concentration of ownership resulting from this policy may increase the possibility of competitive imbalance in a radio market.
The Commission will therefore consider factors such as the number of radio stations that an applicant already owns in the market, the profitability of its station(s) and the concentration of ownership in that market in making its licensing decision.
The relative importance of each of the factors set out above will vary in each case, depending on the specific circumstances of the market.
For the convenience of interested parties, the financial summary for the Toronto radio market is available on the Commission's website.
The Commission intends to consider the applications at a public hearing. However, the Commission advises applicants that it will withdraw any application from the public hearing if it is not advised by the Department that the application is technically acceptable at least twenty days prior to the first day of the hearing. The Commission must also be advised by the Department that any alternative frequencies proposed by the applicant are technically acceptable at least twenty days prior to the first day of the hearing. Otherwise those frequencies shall not be considered as part of the proceeding.
The Commission also reminds applicants that they must comply with the eligibility requirements set out in the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility of Non-Canadians) and the Direction to the CRTC (Ineligibility to Hold Broadcasting Licences).
Dufferin Communications Inc. will be given the opportunity to update its application and to provide the essential information set out below within the same period provided for the submission of applications by other parties.
To assist it in the assessment of applications, the Commission requires each applicant to provide all the information requested in the appendices to this document for the type of service that it proposes to operate. An applicant must clearly demonstrate that its application includes the required information and submit the appropriate completed application. Requests for information by Commission staff will seek to clarify specific facts or to resolve minor discrepancies in the applicants' proposals.
The Commission will return any application that fails to provide the required information and that application will not be considered as part of this process.
At a later date, the Commission will announce the public process for considering applications and how the applications may be examined by the public. As part of that process, the public will be given the opportunity to comment on any application by submitting written interventions to the Commission.
