This morning the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
released their decision regarding CJLO's application to add an FM repeating
transmitter to broadcast at 107.9 FM in the immediate vicinity of Concordia
University's downtown campus. Since our successful bid to begin broadcasting
on the AM band in 2008, we have heard from many of our listeners who report
difficulty tuning into our radio signal in the downtown area. To correct
this issue, and to better fulfil our mandate to serve both Loyola and Sir
George Williams campuses and the Montreal community, we proposed installing
a small FM repeating transmitter on the roof of the Hall Building, in the
heart of Concordia's downtown campus. Unfortunately, our application was
denied.
In their decision, the CRTC stated that we had "not demonstrated that
[CJLO's] technical difficulties are severe within its licensed service area
or that it is subject to more interference than other AM stations in urban
areas." In addition to this, 107.9 FM is one of the last viable frequencies
to broadcast from in the Montreal region, and the CRTC is of the opinion
that allowing CJLO to broadcast on that frequency "may not be the best use
of frequency" and our proposal "does not represent an appropriate use of
spectrum."
The potential interference that our signal would cause for listeners of
Vermont Public Radio in downtown Montreal did not enter into the CRTC's
decision making process, and the interventions filed by VPR listeners did
not influence the outcome of our application in any way.
The full text of the CRTC decision can be read here: http://bit.ly/1uSEXCg
We are analyzing the CRTC's decision, and while this isn't the outcome we were
hoping for, it does not change our mandate. We will continue to serve both
Concordia University and the Montreal community by producing quality
programming, promoting a greater diversity of voices and viewpoints, and by
offering a platform for alternate music styles, ideas, and interests not
commonly found with local commercial stations. We will continue to reach new
listeners at home and abroad, and expand our broadcast capabilities through
our web stream, on Bell Fibe TV channel 950, and through our mobile app,
which is available for both iPhone and Android. Furthermore, we will
continue to investigate all possible options as they relate to improving our
signal reception in Montreal.
We'd like to thank our many listeners and volunteers for their continued
support, and especially those that took the time to file interventions to
the CRTC supporting our application. As always, our doors are always open to
new volunteer members. To learn more about CJLO, or to find out how you can
get involved, please visit us at CJLO.com!