Interesting day at the CRTC.

They awarded 1350 AM to something called Radio Humsafar, a 100% ethnic format that would be 1,000 watts day and 45 at night. The Commission noted the large South Asian population in Brampton and decided this applicant - one of three - would best meet the needs of the community. I suppose it makes sense, but I gotta admit I would have been curious to hear the news/talk world music idea one of those who applied wanted to try.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-471.htm

Meanwhile, over in St. Catharines, the old CHSC frequency could live again, with someone trying for a classic hits format on 1220 AM with day-night power of 10,000 watts.

There's also an ask for the 1110 dial position. Someone wants a mostly Arab station on that dial spot licensed to Mississauga but I doubt you'll hear it very far. Unless it's a misprint of some kind, the power for this proposed community outlet would be just 5 watts! I'm not sure you'd be able to get it outside of the parking lot!The contact for this one is "F Rogers," a name that may be all too familiar to some on this board.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-470.htm

And the CRTC has said no to an attempt by Byrnes Communications to snag 88.5 for a low power music outlet. The commission believes there's no room in the Hamilton Burlington market for another commercial signal. Bell, Corus and Durham Radio - all of whom operate existing stations there  - predictably intervened, insisting they weren't making money there and a new player would make things worse. Still, you gotta wonder. Durham admitted that if the CRTC was willing to accept applications, they'd be submitting one of their own. Bit of hypocrisy there, it seems.

But what's really interesting is that Raj Shoan, a controversial commissioner, issued a lengthy but fascinating dissenting opinion, saying the existing stations don't serve Burlington and a highly local station is badly needed there. He also accused the intervenors of stretching the truth.

"There are three broadcasters that operate in the Hamilton market: Bell Media, Durham Radio and Corus. Without breaching the confidentiality of the financial situations of the radio stations operating in this marketplace, two of the broadcasting groups are doing quite well in Hamilton and have PBIT margins well in excess of the Canadian average cited by the majority. One of these broadcasters’ profitability is significantly above the Canadian average. By contrast, the third broadcasting group is doing quite poorly and its struggles have dragged the aggregate percentage of profitability for the entire marketplace to the 13.3% cited by my colleagues.

I submit that the struggles of one broadcaster in a marketplace should not act as a barrier to the entry of a new player, particularly when the other broadcasters in the market are doing quite well comparatively. To deem otherwise would be to make policy designed to protect an incumbent broadcaster without justification; instead, the Commission should seek to support innovative and successful undertakings rather than propping up perpetually weak ones."

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2015/2015-472.htm

His rant is at the bottom of the page linked above.

Last edited by RadioActive (October 21, 2015 1:20 pm)