CHOI-FM APPEALS CRTC DECISION TO SUPREME COURT Broadcaster Lawyers for a Quebec City radio station are seeking the right to appeal to the Supreme Court a lower court decision upholding the denial of its broadcast licence renewal.
Genex Communications, which owns CHOI-FM, is asking the top court to review a ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal that found the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission acted within the rights given to it by Parliament when it refused CHOI's licence renewal 15 months ago.
The CRTC refused to renew CHOI's licence in July 2004 after the radio station repeatedly aired insulting and offensive comments about women, blacks and psychiatric patients.
The Federal Court of Appeal, however, allowed CHOI to continue broadcasting until the Supreme Court makes a decision.
Patrice Demers, president of Genex, indicated he is confident the Supreme Court justices will be sympathetic to his group's arguments. "All the questions raised are important not only for all Canadian broadcasters, but also for the federal government, the provincial governments, the CRTC, listeners and the public in general" he said in a news release. |