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November 12, 2021 12:42 pm  #1


CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

The CRTC hasn't been considering new licence requests for any market in Canada since COVID hit in March 2020. But that hasn't stopped them from rejecting them. CHOP-FM, a campus radio station run by Pickering College, tried to get approval to put its signal at 102.7 FM (that frequency again! How in the world is there room for anything else at that spot on the dial in this area?) but the Commission turned them down. 

But with the COVID crisis supposedly waning, the Commission is now willing to consider whether Newmarket should be opened up as, well, a new market for a radio station. It's encouraging applicants to file the paperwork if they want to start such an outlet, while warning it still needs to study whether there's actually room for such an entity in a very crowded area. Those interested have until Jan. 27, 2022 to apply. 

I'm guessing the Commission will eventually say no to the idea. I doubt anyone is going to try for an AM and the FM space here is practically non-existent. A low powered station on that band wouldn't go anywhere, would almost certainly get few listeners and the chance of interference to an existing broadcaster seems high, wherever the newcomer would find itself. 

Newmarket does have a radio station - CKAN-AM 1480, which signed on in early 1980 and went silent for a time in 1992, after having financial troubles. It eventually came back on the air and still exists by another name on another band - it moved to 88.5 and is now called Lite-FM, owned by the Evanovs. 

CRTC Call For Newmarket Applications

 

November 12, 2021 1:03 pm  #2


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

By the way, worth noting that now that it's withdrawn the freeze on new licence applications, the CRTC is also considering the possibility of opening up new stations in Sarnia, Yellowknife, Squamish, B.C., and Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec.

     Thread Starter
 

November 12, 2021 2:17 pm  #3


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

To be clear, CHOP-FM aka Pickering College Radio, is already on the air at 102.7 but with only 5 watts. Looks like they want to convert it to a community based station staying on that busy frequency but with 100 watts

 

November 12, 2021 2:19 pm  #4


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

they could put a station on 101.5, 106.1, 92.3 or 92.7 fm
but, I think the am band has more space.
North GTA needs it's own news/talk station

Last edited by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 (November 12, 2021 2:21 pm)

 

November 12, 2021 2:23 pm  #5


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

andysradio wrote:

To be clear, CHOP-FM aka Pickering College Radio, is already on the air at 102.7 but with only 5 watts. Looks like they want to convert it to a community based station staying on that busy frequency but with 100 watts

Yes, but the CRTC has made it clear they're not getting the extra wattage. 

"Given that the applicant proposes a service in a market that has incumbent commercial radio operators and a scarcity of spectrum, the application does not meet any of the exceptions set out in the Radio Call Policy."

However, if they do find there's room in Newmarket for another station, Pickering College is invited to re-apply. 

By the way, despite its name, Pickering College isn't an actual "college." It serves kids from kindergarten to Grade 12. Great call letters, though. 

CHOP-FM website 

     Thread Starter
 

November 12, 2021 2:33 pm  #6


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

I was talking about if the CRTC had a call, and a new station was launched.
I know puckering collage is a private school from the CHOP FM Wikipedia page.
You found the link to the CHOP website?
I could not find one.

 

November 12, 2021 4:15 pm  #7


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

The website, such as it is, is part of the Pickering College site. It's very rudimentary. No fancy graphics, just an explanation of who they are and their program schedule. But yes, I did have to search a little harder to find it. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 12, 2021 4:51 pm  #8


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

I would expect most Nonmarket residents already have a favourite radio station from Toronto. They won't be interested in some new, small town station.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

November 12, 2021 8:00 pm  #9


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

Scarboroughbluffsradiof99 wrote:

they could put a station on 101.5, 106.1, 92.3 or 92.7 fm
but, I think the am band has more space.
North GTA needs it's own news/talk station

 
And maybe use 91.5, 95.1, 96.9 FM. Very hard to find an open FM frequency in the GTA these days!

Not too sure if there would be room for a news/talk radio station on FM in the northern GTA but would probably work on AM which may take forever to sign on this day in age!

Would be nice if the French-language network Radio-Canada Première CJBC AM 860 would have an FM rebroadcaster in Toronto. If there's room they could possibly use 101.7 which is a second adjacent frequency to 102.1 CFNY-FM. Example: 98.7 CKFG-FM is already a second adjacent frequency to CBLA-FM 99.1 in Toronto or use other frequencies for CJBC 860 on 89.9 FM, 92.9 FM, etc.

 

November 12, 2021 8:04 pm  #10


Re: CRTC Ponders New Newmarket Radio Station, But Where Would They Put It?

Scorpio42 wrote:

Would be nice if the French-language network Radio-Canada Première CJBC AM 860 would have an FM rebroadcaster in Toronto. If there's room they could possibly use 101.7 which is a second adjacent frequency to 102.1 CFNY-FM. Example: 98.7 CKFG-FM is already a second adjacent frequency to CBLA-FM 99.1 in Toronto or use other frequencies for CJBC 860 on 89.9 FM, 92.9 FM, etc.

It would also be second adjacent to CJSA, and if I recall correctly, being second-adjacent to two stations that transmit from different sites is problematic.