December 2009 Canadian Radio News

[Dan Sys]

CANADIAN RADIO NEWS

For DECEMBER, 2009

JANUARY 1, 2010

RADIO ACTIVITY

FORMAT CHANGES
ON Toronto 97.3 CHBM From Soft AC (as CJEZ EZ Rock) to Classic Hits (Boom 97.3)

NEW STATIONS LAUNCHED
MB Winnipeg 104.7 CIUR Urban-Hip Hop (Streetz 104.7 FM) (NCI) (became airbound on Dec. 14)
ON Brighton 100.9 CIYM AC (MY FM)

STATIONS TESTING
QC Gatineau 1670 CJEU Childrens (French) (Radio Enfant)

AM TO FM CONVERSIONS ON THE AIR
BC Revelstoke 106.1 CKCR From 1340 (format remains AC) (EZ Rock)

CALL LETTER DATA
BC Kispiox 96.1 new-cp Will become CKPX
NU Whale Cove 91.1 new-cp Will become CJWH
ON Ottawa 99.7 new-cp Will become CJOT (Astral)
ON Toronto 97.3 CJEZ Becomes CHBM

BRANDINGS
AB Edmonton 95.7 CJNN-cp Will become JENN-FM (Harvard)
ON Kincardine 95.5 CIYN From THE COAST to MY FM (includes CIYN-1 99.7 Goderich) (will remain Classic Hits) (Jan. 4)

TECHNICAL CHANGES ON THE AIR
BC Vancouver 104.3 CHHR Move from 104.1 (swap frequencies with KAFE 104.3 Bellingham,WA) (Jan. 14)

CRTC & IC DECISIONS

NEW STATIONS GRANTED
BC Clearwater 106.1 46 watts (Christian) (will simulcast VOAR 1210 St. John's,NF)
BC Kispiox 96.1 31 watts (Aboriginal) (Kispiox First Nations Community Radio)
NU Whale Cove 91.1 50 watts (no data available)

TECHNICAL CHANGES GRANTED
AB Fort McMurray 103.7 CFVR Increase power from 8,700 watts (20,000 watts Max. ERP) to 22,000 watts (50,000 watts Max. ERP)
AB Red Deer 90.5 CKRD-cp 15,000 watts (42,000 watts Max. ERP) (previously granted but applied frequency of 101.3 was not acceptable)
BC Burns Lake 96.1 VF2111 Increase power from 8 watts to 16 watts and relocate transmitter
BC Hazelton 98.1 VF2163 Increase power from 8 watts to 26 watts
NS Halifax 98.5 CKRH Reduce power from 610 watts (1,850 watts Max. ERP) to 312 watts (1,800 watts Max. ERP) and raise antenna height
NU Iqaluit 99.9 CKIQ Reduce power from 537 watts to 415 watts, lower antenna height and relocate transmitter
ON Peterborough 90.5 CJMB Increase power from 50 watts to 206 watts, raise antenna height and relocate transmitter
QC Sherbrooke 106.9 CIMO-1 Increase power from 22 watts to 89 watts (200 watts Max. ERP), raise antenna height and relocate transmitter

OWNERSHIP CHANGES GRANTED
ON Thunder Bay 99.9 CJUK From Newcap to Acadia Broadcasting
ON Thunder Bay 105.3 CKTG From Newcap to Acadia Broadcasting

EXTENSIONS GRANTED
ON Brockville 106.5 CBOB-cp The CBC has until November 22, 2010 to get this station on the air

CRTC APPLICATIONS

PROPOSED NEW STATIONS
NB Sackville 105.7 50 watts (CBC Radio One) (will simulcast CBAM 106.1 Moncton due to signal deficiencies caused by recent CBA 1070 flip to FM)

PROPOSED AM TO FM CONVERSIONS
AB Brooks 1340 CIBQ Move to 105.7 with 6,000 watts (14,000 watts Max. ERP) (format will remain Country)

PROPOSED TECHNICAL CHANGES
AB Fort McMurray 100.5 CHFT Increase power from 9,200 watts (20,000 watts Max. ERP) to 23,000 watts (50,000 watts Max. ERP)
ON Ottawa n/a CJFO-cp Wishes to launch on 94.5 with 2,000 watts (previously granted but applied frequency of 101.7 was not acceptable)
ON Sioux Lookout 104.5 CKQV-3 Move to 104.1

PROPOSED CHANGES TO SPECIALTY LICENSES
MB Winnipeg 100.7 CHNK Remove specialty format status altogether

UPDATES
The word going around Ottawa is the new Astral station on 99.7 CJOT (originally slated to be AC branded as EVE FM) will not be launched until this May. Ottawa's other new commercial station CIDG 101.7 (DAWG FM) is aiming for a June launch date with its Blues format.

Thanks to everyone who contributed information to this column in 2009. I'll be looking forward to your continued support in 2010.

Next update February 1, 2010
Send tips to sysdan@gmail.com

[jondavid01]

Jenn FM in Edomonton?Must be a soon to be female AAA format.

[Dan Sys]

Here's a description of JENN FM (CJNN) that Harvard put together during the original Edmonton hearings last year:
http://www.jennfm.com/

[Doug]

hey Dan,

Thanks for your report. It's the best part of RadioWest, actually - even better than the ratings posts. Quick question, how long (if any) does the CKCR simulcast last and does Astral plan to add retransmitters to make up for reduced signal availability with FM over AM? Excuse the simplicity of this, but (generally speaking) doesn't FM not have as wide a broadcast area?

Cheers,
Doug

[Dan Sys]

The CKCR 1340/106.1 simulcast is supposed to last 3 months. However there were huge problems when sister station CKXR 580 in Salmon Arm flipped to 91.5 several years ago. The new FM signal was inferior resulting in several communities that used to receive CKXR on 580 loud & clear being left in the dark. As a result Astral (perhaps Standard at the time?) had to set up 200 watt repeaters in Enderby at 104.3 and in Sicamous at 102.1 to partially solve the problem. An extension of one year was granted to the 580 simulcast which enabled them to get the repeaters operational. Whether this scenario repeats itself in Revelstoke remains to be seen. I do know the CKCR testing phase on 106.1 lasted a couple more months than normal which might indicate there were problems. Here's the original decision:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2009/2009-108.htm
By the way, thanks for your kind comments Doug.

[Howaboutthat]

Thanks for your report. It's the best part of RadioWest, actually - even better than the ratings posts.

Holy Cow Doug! You HAVE to get out more!

[Dan Sys]

I received a message from fellow member "andysradio" this afternoon informing me that CKCR 1340 Revelstoke signed off the air on December 18, 2009 (presumably at the same time the flip to 106.1 occurred). He received this information directly from Larry King (AScT) who is the Chief Engineer for the B.C. Interior Astral group.

Guess that answers the above simulcast question.

[Marathon]

Here's a description of JENN FM (CJNN) that Harvard put together during the original Edmonton hearings last year:
http://www.jennfm.com/

Had a look at this site.... if they are actually going to do what they are saying there, I would tend to think it has very little chance of success

[45 RPM]

I don't think Harvard is too serious about ever getting this station on the air.

How many months has it been since Yerxa was granted 107.1? They have been on the air for three months now.

Wasn't Harvard awarded another frequency? You'd think they'd reflect that change on their website.

Weren't they also granted a license for a new station in Red Deer? Any word on that one?

[Dan Sys]

The new frequency for CJNN will be 95.7 with 47KW’s (100KW’s Max. ERP). The Red Deer station, CKRI, will be at 100.7 with 54KW’s (100KW’s Max. ERP).

During the hearings Harvard proposed a Triple A format for CJNN and AC-Oldies for CKRI. Both stations have until October 17, 2010 to hit the air.

[jon]

Just keeping an eye out for CJNN testing, and was surprised to get such a strong signal on 95.5 MHz.

I hadn't previously noticed that Red Deer had a 100KW station on 95.5 MHz (CKGY). And now we have a 100KW station getting ready to sign-on to 95.7 MHz in Edmonton (CJNN).

Perhaps this evening is just a bit abnormal, in terms of good regional DX, as I heard KRAZE-FM on 101.3 MHz with an equally good signal, with only a bit of slope from the local CBC repeater on 101.1.

[MIKE FM]

Red Deer's 90.5 FM antenna will be replacing CHCA Channel 6 antenna.