Canadian Heritage

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 21, 2008) - The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced the Government of Canada's decision to refer back for reconsideration and hearing, decisions made by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on August 26, 2008. The decisions concerned the licensing of two new English-language commercial FM radio stations to serve the Ottawa-Gatineau region.

"Our Government recognizes radio's contribution to the vitality of Anglophone and Francophone minority communities. In referring the decisions back to the CRTC, we expect that it will reconsider what it decided about radio frequencies in Ottawa-Gatineau," said Minister Moore. "We are asking the Commission to fully consider and explain its approach to evaluating the needs of official-language minority communities and how it applies in this case."

"Last June, when we presented the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008-2013, we asked the CRTC to examine the broadcasting services provided to minority Anglophones and Francophones. The Roadmap is proof of our commitment to promoting both our official languages," added Minister Moore. "We want the CRTC to determine the views of residents of the region through a public hearing to start in January 2009. This will enable the CRTC to consider all viewpoints and identify the challenges to be met in providing Canadians with broadcasting services suited to their needs."

The CRTC announced the licensing in question on August 26, 2008. The Commission granted the broadcasting licence application of Astral Media Radio and that of Frank Torres, on behalf of a company yet to be incorporated. At the same time, the CRTC denied licences to eight other applicants that had submitted proposals at the May 2008 public hearings. These proposals included applications for commercial English- and French-language stations, an application for a French-language community radio station, and an application for a community-based French-language campus radio station.

For more information, visit the following websites:

- Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2008-222 - Licensing of new radio stations to serve Ottawa and Gatineau (August 26, 2008): http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/decisions/2008/db2008-222.htm

- The Government of Canada Asks CRTC to Report on Broadcasting Services to Francophones and Anglophones Living in Minority-Language Situation (June 20, 2008): http://www.pch.gc.ca/newsroom/index_e.cfm?fuseaction=displayDocument&DocIDCd=CJV081034

- Broadcasting Act (section 28 concerns petitions in writing and actions that can be taken by the Governor in Council): http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/legal/broad.htm

This news release is available on the Internet at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Media Room.