RadioAaron wrote:

Rune wrote:

They're going to simulcast AM and FM and see if the CRTC allows it...if they do, watch for that to happen elsewhere.

CityNews 101.1 "Ottawa" is already breaking like three rules. Precedent is set.

This is why it's too easy to start a rumour that AM 740 & Classical 96 are for sale. Who really knows if a sale will happen, but Rogers might love to have 96.7 FM as a CityNews station. What happens with the rest of the story is anyone's guess. 
 

A timely article.

When You Change Format  

RadioAaron wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

CityNews 101.1 "Ottawa" is already breaking like three rules. Precedent is set.

This is why it's too easy to start a rumour that AM 740 & Classical 96 are for sale. Who really knows if a sale will happen, but Rogers might love to have 96.7 FM as a CityNews station. What happens with the rest of the story is anyone's guess. 
 

Rogers can do WAY better than 96.7 to get CityNews on FM.

88.1, 91.1, 93.5, 94.7, 95.3, 95.9, 96.3, 102.1, 103.5, 107.9.

None of those are going to happen. 

Unless exceptions are made, or Rogers buys out 95.3 fm from Corus Hamilton (which is technically a different market) I tend to agree that things will stay exactly the same as they are today.    91.1 is never going happen as the license is stuck with JAZZ and non-profit status.  98.7 also has a specialty license, so also doubtful.  Moses will never sell his empire, so 96.7/96.3 will not happen.     94.7/95.9/107.9 would be way too weak to the core market in Toronto as they are Hamilton and Oshawa focused signals. (95.9's repeater is only good in the core, but total useless in the west)  

Last edited by radiokid (January 9, 2023 10:47 am)

Ms. C. wrote:

radiokid wrote:

     Moses will never sell his empire. 

The man is a (healthy) eighty-one (81) years of age

There's the Waters family, and then there's the Evanov group.

When Alan Waters passed away, the family sold all the radio and TV properties.
BUT
When Bill Evanov passed away, Paul Evanov did not sell. 

I'm not aware of the family matters regarding what will happen when Moses actually passes away.
Will they keep things business as usual? Or sell? 

 

on one segment of their morning show today, the QR hosts mentioned that QR's fm signal would be available in Electric Vehicles - such as Teslas that lack AM reception.

Interesting observation eh?
 

tvguy wrote:

on one segment of their morning show today, the QR hosts mentioned that QR's fm signal would be available in Electric Vehicles - such as Teslas that lack AM reception.

Interesting observation eh?
 

I would not be surprised if Corus does the same thing in Vancouver with CKNW. Corus also owns Rock 101, which has a similar format to the now-former Q107 Calgary. Teslas and other electric vehicles are already common in BC’s Lower Mainland, and reception of CKNW on 980 is very poor in parts of Vancouver due to overhead trolley bus wires (not unlike TTC’s streetcar wires).

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (January 9, 2023 12:12 pm)

Radiowiz wrote:

MJ Vancouver wrote:

tvguy wrote:

on one segment of their morning show today, the QR hosts mentioned that QR's fm signal would be available in Electric Vehicles - such as Teslas that lack AM reception.

Interesting observation eh?
 

I would not be surprised if Corus does the same thing in Vancouver with CKNW. Corus also owns Rock 101, which has a similar format to the now-former Q107 Calgary. Teslas and other electric vehicles are already common in BC’s Lower Mainland, and reception of CKNW on 980 is very poor in parts of Vancouver due to overhead trolley bus wires (not unlike TTC’s streetcar wires).

Depends on how ratings are doing for Vancouver's Rock 101 FM. 
 

I would say profitability would be more of a factor. If CFMI isn't making money for Corus, then I would say CKNW on 101 would be inevitable. 

ED1 wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

MJ Vancouver wrote:

I would not be surprised if Corus does the same thing in Vancouver with CKNW. Corus also owns Rock 101, which has a similar format to the now-former Q107 Calgary. Teslas and other electric vehicles are already common in BC’s Lower Mainland, and reception of CKNW on 980 is very poor in parts of Vancouver due to overhead trolley bus wires (not unlike TTC’s streetcar wires).

Depends on how ratings are doing for Vancouver's Rock 101 FM. 
 

I would say profitability would be more of a factor. If CFMI isn't making money for Corus, then I would say CKNW on 101 would be inevitable. 

CFMI and CFOX are both profitable. The question would be: Would replacing one of them with CNKW increase CKNW's revenue more than the profit margin of the station it's replacing, minus the cost savings of removing a station? I doubt Vancouver's there. Now, Winnipeg....

RadioActive wrote:

So is the QR move the first shoe to drop at Corus? Not for the moment, it appears.

From Broadcast Dialogue:

"When asked if Corus has plans for similar FM rollouts for high-performing talk properties in other markets, given the recent CRTC radio review changes allowing broadcasters to operate an additional FM station under certain conditions, Vos said Calgary is the company’s only focus right now."

"Right Now" = 9:01am January 9, 2023

a little too much ego .. a little too much mocking .. 

The CRTC is like the old grey mare...she ain't what she used to be. One of the issues with all the conglomerates owning all of the stations in all of the markets is they now have the power. You want a station in say, Fredericton? Well then you have to bend somewhere else. CRTC has been toothless for a very long time.

Broadcast Dialogue has more on this new aspect of the story.

CRTC questions Corus’ move to simulcast CHQR Calgary on FM

Where Corus messed up... they didn't file things correctly with the CRTC.   That's really it here..   I have faith they will get past the CRTC with nothing more than a hand slap for not going through the correct procedures, but it's doubtful the CRTC will either demand they move to FM and close down the AM, or require them to put music back on the FM.  I also point out, Rogers may have went through the correct channels to operate their Ottawa signals.   I would expect that's likely the case being in the CRTC backyard.  

Corus has finally formally applied to the CRTC for the switch in format for CFQR to the former Q107 FM - while throwing AM under the bus. It's the first time I've seen a broadcaster actually admit that it doesn't see a future on that band. I wonder how the people at AM 640 will view these statements, as recounted in Broadcast Dialogue:

“AM radio is already struggling to reach audiences. According to Numeris, in Fall 2022, it reached just 27.1 percent of Canadians in the Adult 25-54 demographic. This trend threatens to worsen as electric vehicles account for a greater proportion of the market. The Canadian government has set a mandatory target for all new light-duty cars and passenger trucks sales to be zero-emission by 2035,” states the application.

“Permanently shifting CHQR’s programming line-up to an FM signal, while retaining its place on the AM dial, would enable us to properly serve a segment of the audience that CHQR has been licensed to serve for nearly six decades, but which it can no longer consistently reach on the AM band alone."

The problem, of course, is that Corus has AM stations in many markets from B.C. to Ontario, a few of them quite successful. What kind of message does this send to those working at them?

Corus formally applies to air news/talk on FM in Calgary, questions viability of AM