GATINEAU — While it determined the radio market in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough cannot support an additional commercial English or ethnic service, the CRTC announced today it will consider an application already submitted for a specialty Christian music station in a future non-appearing public hearing.
In January 2019, the Commission announced it had received an application from International Harvesters for Christ Evangelistic Association for a broadcasting licence to operate a new Christian music FM station in Scarborough.
The Commission received a number of interventions, some opposing the introduction of a new commercial service in the Scarborough market, and one opposing the introduction of a specialty Christian music station. In addition, two interveners expressed an interest in submitting applications for licences to operate FM stations themselves.
Corus Entertainment opposed the licensing of a new commercial station in what it considered to be a highly competitive market. Corus Radio operates CFMJ, CFNY-FM and CILQ-FM in the Toronto market. It also asked the Commission to only consider applications for low-power stations in a specialty format.
A joint intervention by Bell Media, Rogers Media and Stingray Radio said they did not object to the licensing of a low-power specialty format station provided it was made clear the station could not be converted into a full-power station later.
Both of these interventions also argued the Commission should limit licensing activities until after its upcoming radio regulatory policy review.
The licensee of CJRK-FM, a commercial ethnic station operated by East FM in the Scarborough market, opposed the licensing of an additional ethnic FM service, stating that CJRK-FM is only in its third year of operation and is still not profitable. East FM did not oppose the licensing of an English-language religious station.
Asian Television Network International Limited (ATN) expressed an interest in submitting an application for a new ethnic FM station. Trafalgar Broadcasting, licensee of Christian station CJYE in Oakville west of Toronto, opposed the licensing of a new Christian music service in Scarborough, but also indicated it would like to acquire an FM licence to switch its AM service to FM.
The Commission concluded in its decision, published today, the Scarborough radio market cannot currently support an additional commercial radio station.
“However, given that specialty Christian music stations generally do not raise concerns pertaining to commercial impact, the Commission will publish the application for consideration in the non-appearing phase of a future public hearing, where it will conduct a more comprehensive analysis of the application,” the Commission writes.
