CRTC approves new license for Alliston radio station - 92.1 FM

Posted September 12, 2012

The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced this morning it has approved the application by My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Alliston.

The new station would operate at 92.1 MHz (channel 221A) with a limited reach of 1,986 watts (maximum ERP of 3,750 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 30.5 metres).

MBC is a corporation controlled by Jon Pole and Andrew Dickson, and refers to itself as "Ontario's Local Broadcast Company." The company operates radio stations in 12 small and medium size markets across the province.

"MBC proposed a gold-based Adult Contemporary music format and would broadcast 124 hours of local programming in each broadcast week. The local programming would include approximately 14 hours of spoken word programming, approximately 4 hours of which would be devoted to pure news. Newscasts would primarily feature local content. The station would also feature weather, sports and community events," according to the CRTC's ruling. "MBC further committed to devote, by condition of licence, at least 38 per cent of all category 2 (Popular Music) selections broadcast during each broadcast week and between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday to Friday to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety. Furthermore, MBC indicated that in addition to the required basic annual contributions, it would contribute, by condition of licence, a total of $3,000 to Canadian content development (CCD) over seven consecutive broadcast years ($500 per broadcast year) beginning in the second year of operations. Of this amount, 20 per cent would be devoted to FACTOR, with the remainder to be directed to the musical component of the Alliston Annual Potato Festival showcasing local emerging artists."

The application was not without its opponents. Bayshore Broadcasting and Dufferin Communications, similar sized competitors in the small town radio market, argued before the CRTC that MBC's operation in Alliston would squeeze an already tight advertising market in the region including Shelburne and Orangeville.

"In its intervention, Bayshore noted that the 3 mV/m contour of the proposed station is completely within the 0.5 mV/m contour of its new FM station in Shelburne-Dundalk approved in Broadcasting Decision 2012-123. It further claimed that the proposed service in Alliston (28 kilometers east of Shelburne) would reduce the local and national advertising revenues of its un-launched Shelburne radio station by 5 to 10 per cent, " according to the ruling. "Similarly, Dufferin claimed that approval of the proposed service in Alliston would be detrimental to its station CIDC-FM Orangeville as it would result in the splitting of the limited advertising revenues that are generated in the area."

Frank Rogers, whose own attempt to operate a radio station in Alliston was hindered by financial burdens, lasting on air for about a year, also opposed the MBC application.

"With respect to the concerns raised by Frank Rogers that approval of MBC's application would hinder his chances of re-establishing his radio service in Alliston, the Commission notes that CFAO-FM began operations on 6 July 2009 and
subsequently ceased operations as of July 2010. It further notes that the licensee has not yet provided details or specific timelines regarding the re-launching of its station. The Commission notes that the addition of a new station by an established operator should therefore help to ensure that service is provided to what is now a market that is not served by any local station."

In a press release issued this morning, MBC President Jon Pole, said a launch date had not yet been established, "but the ball is ready to roll."

"The support from the community from the get-go has been awesome. We're extremely pleased that the Commission continues to support the growth of small market broadcasters, and we look forward to being heavily involved in the Alliston community, and producing great local content for many years to come."

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