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Christian radio station hopes to get back on air
By Daily Courier Staff
Monday, February 9, 2009
Operators of a local, low-powered, faith-based radio station are hoping to get back on the air in a larger format.
The Voice of Adventist Radio (VOAR) was actually a rebroadcast of a Newfoundland station, says Seventh-day Adventist pastor and radio committee chairman Don Straub.
Straub said the 50-watt station had been operating under Industry Canada regulations since January 2008, but was bumped because of a French-language TV station that began rebroadcasting in the region.
The signal, at 98.9 FM, went off the air last month.
“Our plan now is to reopen it under a CRTC licence,” said Straub, adding Industry Canada has the authority to approve low-powered radio stations.
Straub said organizers hope to get government approval for a high-powered station complete with local weather and news, but there will be no paid commercials.
The concept is to have the station operate through donations and rely heavily on volunteers.
VOAR has been operating out of Eastern Canada for the past 80 years, and Straub says it was “grandfathered” by the CRTC when Newfoundland joined confederation.
“For many years, it was the only Christian radio station in Canada,” said Straub, adding the government regulatory body is now allowing other Christian stations to go on air.
“When it comes to Christian radio, the CRTC wants all faiths to be able to express themselves on the air,” he said.
Straub said an application is being put together, but added it could take up to 18 months to get an answer.
Winning approval for the station could be a difficult as there have been three attempts over the past decade to establish faith-based radio in the Valley, all of which were refused by the CRTC.