92.9 Winnipeg going dark

[Shawndx]

After almost 10 years of broadcasting, Red River College’s (RRC) student radio station 92.9 KICK FM will discontinue its on-air broadcasting.

According to a statement on KICK FM’s website, the radio station’s board, Cre-Comm Radio Inc., has decided to discontinue over the air broadcasting as a result of a campus radio policy change by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

The change, which was announced in January, declared that the CRTC would no longer license stations that exist purely for educational reasons.

"92.9 KICK FM went on-air almost 10 years ago with a mandate to provide a radio broadcast training forum for students that resembled, as near as possible, the operation of a commercial radio station. Red River College provided the transmitter and facilities as well as start-up funding, with the goal that the radio station become self sustaining over a period of time. Despite never being able to achieve this, the College continued to fund the station," the statement says.

92.9 KICK FM will return its current broadcast license to the CRTC.

[Tape Splicer]

.....as a result of a campus radio policy change by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

The change, which was announced in January, declared that the CRTC would no longer license stations that exist purely for educational reasons......

I wonder what impact this CRTC policy will have on BCIT's CFML "Evolution" and other stations set up to instruct future broadcasters? Perhaps someone from the BCIT's broadcast program might respond.

[Dan Sys]

I'm not totally versed on the topic, but I do know that campus station CHRW 94.9 in London, Ontario recently applied for and received approval to reduce their Spoken Word programming from 25% to 15% to fall within the new requirements of the Campus & Community Radio Policy. A little more music and a little less talk.....sounds like a fairly painless transition to me.

[45 RPM]

Isn't this the station where former 100.3 The Q in Victoria PD Rick Everett went to manage?

If he's still there, you'd think he'd know some loopholes to keep things afloat.

[CKNF]

Here's the full statement from their website:

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CRE-COMM RADIO INC., OPERATOR OF 92.9 CKIC-FM:

92.9 KICK FM went on-air almost 10 years ago with a mandate to provide a radio broadcast training forum for students that resembled, as near as possible, the operation of a commercial radio station. Red River College provided the transmitter and facilities as well as start-up funding, with the goal that the radio station become self sustaining over a period of time. Despite never being able to achieve this, the College continued to fund the station.

As a result of recent changes to CRTC regulations regarding campus and community radio stations, and financial challenges, the Board of Cre-Comm Radio Inc. has decided to discontinue over the air broadcasting effective Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at 4:00pm, and will be returning the current broadcast licence to the CRTC.

Radio training at Red River College will continue uninterrupted, and the plan is for KICK FM to resume streaming in the fall.

The Board of Directors of Cre-Comm Radio Inc. would like to thank Station Manager Rick Baverstock for his dedication, support and contribution to the station from sign-on in December 2003.

The Board and Mr. Baverstock would also like to thank all the student and community volunteers, as well as radio instructors, who have contributed to the radio station over the past 9 ½ years.

Thank you also, to the listeners who have supported the radio station over the years.

The impression that I get is that this has more to do with the college continuing to fund the station rather than a regulations issue. I'd hate to think that this is yet another sign of where radio's future is heading.

Been listening to KICK's stream here and every song has been about radio in one way or another.

[Dan Sys]

From what I've been reading tonight there has been some pretty serious internal strife at CKIC over the past year or so. It appears that because of those problems Red River College decided to no longer fund the station.

It will create an opening for a new low power station in Winnipeg though. CKIC operated with 250 watts which would probably be the maximum allowed as they will have to protect CBC Radio Two 92.7 in Brandon and CFRY 93.1 in Portage La Prairie.

[radiofan]

Isn't this the station where former 100.3 The Q in Victoria PD Rick Everett went to manage?

If he's still there, you'd think he'd know some loopholes to keep things afloat.

Just listening to the stream of radio songs and they just played the shut down notice announcement and it was voiced by Rick Baverstock (Everett). Rick was a brilliant programmer when he was at The Q,
and this farewell with nothing but Radio related songs sounds like something he would have created.

[CKNF]

Quote from RRC on 24JAN12:

Today the CRTC informed KICK-FM that, under the new campus radio policy, we will no longer be allowed to train students for a career in radio. As you may know, our raison d'être is training students from Red River College's Creative Communications program...It is doubtful that RRC will want to continue funding a radio station that does not work within its educational department. Therefore, it seems unlikely at this point in time that KICK-FM will remain on-air,

I've been seeing statements like this a lot, even in press releases. However, for some reason, I'm having a hard time finding any mention of this policy change on the CRTC's site. It may very well be under my nose and I may be missing something, however, I'm not finding it. Has Dan seen this before?

I was wondering if one of you could help point it out to me?

[Shawndx]

They pulled the plug at 15:47 local time right in the middle of a song.
GONE!

[Dan Sys]

I was wondering if one of you could help point it out to me?

CKNF.....as I recall the CRTC just informed those stations directly who would be affected by this new policy. A public bulletin outlining the details was never issued as far as I know.

[CKNF]

They pulled the plug at 15:47 local time right in the middle of a song.
GONE!

Wow. They just couldn't wait those extra thirteen minutes? I wonder why the haste. Were they still playing that four song loop with the official announcement?

I was wondering if one of you could help point it out to me?

CKNF.....as I recall the CRTC just informed those stations directly who would be affected by this new policy. A public bulletin outlining the details was never issued as far as I know.

Hey, thanks so much Dan! Yeah, I was pretty certain I never saw a bulletin either.

[Shawndx]

Seems someone at the transmitter site shut down early without warning. The story is on the web site and the full last half hour is downloadable.

http://kick.fm/