CRTC orders pirate radio stations to cease broadcasting from Washington state

By Meg Olson

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has ordered She-E-Punjab to stop broadcasting.

In the order, issued November 13, the commission directed the broadcaster to “not carry on a broadcasting undertaking in Canada except in compliance with the Broadcasting Act as well as for Sher-E-Punjab to provide proof of the termination of certain arrangements with BBC Broadcasting Inc. and of the divestiture of certain interests.”

The commission held a hearing October 15, at which Sher-E-Punjab was a non-appearing party under a consent order, to investigate whether three radio stations were “broadcasting in whole or in part in Canada without a license and transmitting their programming from Washington state into Lower Mainland British Columbia in contravention of the Broadcasting Act (the Act).” The CRTC decided they were. Radio Punjab and Radio India have also been ordered to stop broadcasting. Radio India has been ordered to terminate broadcasting at 11:59 p.m. November 13.

BBC Broadcasting Inc., which has been broadcasting Sher-E-Punjab’s programming out of a Ferndale facility, has applied to build a new facility made up of five 150-foot towers in Point Roberts. The company’s application was denied by the Whatcom County hearing examiner but the company is appealing that decision.