Two groups vying for CRTC approval to open a new radio station in Cranbrook

by Keith Powell — November 18, 2013

Newcap is one of Canada’s largest radio broadcasters with 88 licenses across the country and is based out of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. They are a publicly traded company and their stock price is hovering around $8.70 per share.

The application by Newcap Inc. is for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Cranbrook. The applicant proposes to add an FM transmitter in Fernie to rebroadcast the programming of the proposed Cranbrook station. They propose a modern Adult Contemporary music format.

Clear Sky Radio owns and operates radio stations in Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, Alberta. The company is owned by Paul Larsen, a former radio executive of a Vancouver Island broadcasting group.

The application by Clear Sky Radio Inc. is for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio station in Cranbrook. The applicant also proposes to add FM transmitters in Fernie, Sparwood and Invermere to rebroadcast the programming of the proposed Cranbrook station.

Newcap’s proposal projects annual first year revenue at $800,000 and $1.3 million revenue after seven years of operation based on $36 for a 60-second spot the first year and increasing to $50 for a 60-second spot in year seven. They also project that 50% of their revenue will come from new radio advertisers and other media, 25% from existing radio advertisers and 25% from expanded radio advertisers.

Clear Sky did not reveal projected revenue estimates but did accumulate a number of endorsement letters from the likes of MP David Wilkes, the Ktunaxa Nation, the Tamarack Shopping Centre and Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce.

The current radio stations, The Drive and B-104 are owned and operated by The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, headquartered in Kamloops.

Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 28 November 2013. The CTRC Commission will hold a hearing commencing on 27 January 2014 at 9:00 a.m., at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, 15269 104th Avenue, Surrey, British Columbia.