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Community radio station optimistic about getting approval

Feb 11, 2020 | 12:08 PM

A public hearing this spring will be the next step for a proposed community radio station in Vernon.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has placed the application by the Vernon Community Radio Society (VCRS) for a community FM radio broadcasting station on the agenda for an April 14 public hearing.

VCRS president Gordon Leighton said the application will be a non-appearing item, which means that subject to the CRTC receiving interventions opposing the application, the VCRS will not be required to appear.

“In the majority of cases where applications are classified as non-appearing, the public hearing is an obligatory administrative process, and the CRTC has determined that, subject to interventions, approval of the VCRS application will very likely be granted,” said Leighton.

The society hopes to have a decision and a license granted in late May or early June.

Leighton said the society is embarking on a fund-raising campaign for the capital costs of building the station, estimated at $100,000.

Leighton said the society will be pursuing a variety of grants and will be launching some strategies to engage volunteers, community organizations and businesses in Greater Vernon.

Once up and running, which could be as early as this fall, the station will broadcast under the brand “Valley FM”, at 97.9 MHz on the FM dial.

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