CKRD-FM

On October 17, the CRTC approved in part the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and 1188011 Alberta Ltd. and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partners), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership (Touch Canada) for a broadcasting licence to operate a new FM radio station to serve Red Deer. Within 90 days of the date of this decision, the applicant must submit an amendment to its application proposing the use of an FM frequency other than 100.7 MHz (channel 264C1) that would be acceptable to both the Commission and the Department of Industry. Touch Canada proposed to establish a commercial specialty FM station that would offer a Gospel Adult Contemporary music format. At least 95% of all musical selections would be drawn from content subcategory 35 (Non-classic religious). Touch Canada’s proposed station would also introduce a new radio voice to Red Deer and would further enhance the diversity of news voices and local reflection in this market. Specifically, the station would offer 100 hours of local programming per broadcast week. In addition, the station would devote 26 hours and 41 minutes per broadcast week to spoken word programming, including 1 hour and 40 minutes of pure news (60% local), 1 hour and 51 minutes of sports, weather and traffic, 1 hour and 14 minutes of human interest feature stories, and 6 hours and 56 minutes of local reflection and announcer talk. The licence would expire August 31, 2015.

On December 8, the CRTC approved the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and 1188011 Alberta Ltd. and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partners), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership to operate its new English-language commercial FM radio station in Red Deer at 90.5 MHz (channel 213C1) with an average effective radiated power of 15,000 watts. In filing its present application, Touch Canada initially proposed the use of 101.3 MHz. However, the applicant revised its proposal following the issuance of Broadcasting Decision 2009-320, in which the Commission approved an application by L.A. Radio Group Inc. for the use of 101.3 MHz to operate a new English-language commercial FM radio station in Red Deer.

CKRD-FM began broadcasting April 1 at 6:00 a.m. The CKRD call letters had been used in the market in the past – on radio from 1949 to 2000 for what was now CHUB-FM and on television, from 1965-2005 (CHCA-TV).

On December 5, the CRTC approved the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc., (the general partner), and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership to change the technical parameters of CKRD-FM Red Deer by increasing the average effective radiated power from 9,000 to 18,400 watts (maximum ERP from 18,000 to 38,000 watts). All other technical parameters would remain unchanged. The applicant indicated that the change would improve the quality of its signal within its coverage area. 

On December 19, the CRTC approved the application by Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, for authorization to effect a two-step corporate reorganization involving the assets of the radio programming undertakings CJCA and CJRY-FM Edmonton, CJLI and CJSI-FM Calgary and CKRD-FM Red Deer. Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (CRA) were both controlled by Charles R. Allard. Step 1 – Transfer to CRA of all Class A voting shares issued by Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc., the current limited partner in Touch Canada LP and a corporation also owned and controlled by Mr. Allard. As a result, TCBI would become wholly owned by CRA. Step 2 – Wind up of TCBI. The 99.89% voting units held by TCBI in Touch Canada LP would be transferred to CRA. As a result, CRA would become the limited partner in Touch Canada LP. The Commission noted that following this two-step corporate reorganization, Mr. Allard would continue to control the undertakings. Upon surrender of the broadcasting licences currently issued to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and Touch Canada Broadcasting Inc. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, the Commission would issue new licences to Touch Canada Broadcasting (2006) Inc. (the general partner) and C.R.A. Investments Ltd. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Touch Canada Broadcasting Limited Partnership, to operate CJCA and CJRY-FM Edmonton, CJSI-FM Calgary and CKRD-FM Red Deer under the same terms and conditions as those set out in the current licences. The Commission noted that a broadcasting licence had not yet been issued to CJLI Calgary. Once Touch Canada LP had satisfied the terms set out in Broadcasting Decision 2009-222, the Commission would issue a broadcasting licence to operate that radio station.