Montreal All Traffic Radio

Radio News from Quebec

Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Wed May 18, 2011 11:18 am

Agreement between Transports Québec and Cogeco Diffusion
DEDICATED TRAFFIC RADIO IS IN THE WORKS FOR MONTRÉAL METROPOLITAN AND WILL BE ON THE AIR THIS FALL

Montréal, May 16, 2011 – Minister of Transport Sam Hamad and Cogeco Diffusion‟s Radio Senior Vice President Richard Lachance have announced the creation of dedicated traffic radio for the Greater Montréal area. Starting next fall, road users will be able to tune in on the AM band to Cogeco Diffusion's French and English stations for traffic updates and information on road work.

Mindful of the impact of the road work and traffic congestion affecting the Montréal highway network, the Minister of Transport identified radio as the information tool of choice to ease the flow for users of the roadways.

“Traffic radio will certainly help to reduce the impact our work sites have on truckers and drivers in the Greater Montréal area. With it, users will be able to plan their routes and make informed real time choices about how to get to their destinations. The agreement announced today will make it possible to create and operate new radio stations that will enhance the services already provided by Québec 511 and traffic announcers,” stated Minister Hamad.

Real time focus on user needs

The project provides for a host on the air from 4:30 in the morning (6 on weekends) 'til 1 at night. With access to the main traffic cams already installed by the Ministère at strategic points along the highway network as well as other sources, hosts will be able to broadcast the most up-to-date information to listeners. Programming will be made up of information on:
o Traffic status on the main highways and on the bridges
o Advice on which routes to avoid
o Road conditions
o Information on road work sites, their extent and their expected impact
o Tips on highway safety
o Weather conditions

“Cogeco Diffusion is proud to work with the Ministère des Transports to lessen the inconvenience of the major road work that will be going on over the next few years in the Greater Montréal area. With our radio broadcasting expertise and our facilities, Cogeco Diffusion can deliver radio that‟s focused on people's real needs for traffic news and information, non stop, seven days a week. Radio is the ideal medium for reaching drivers because 70% listen to radio while they‟re on the road,” noted Mr. Lachance.

The Ministère will invest $1.5 million per year per station to finance a portion of dedicated traffic radio operations until 2014 and will use station air time for publicity and awareness campaigns. As owner, Cogeco Diffusion will be responsible for programming and will assume all financial risk involved in implementing and operating the two specialty traffic stations.
ref. - http://www.cogeco.ca/export/sites/cogec ... _am_en.pdf
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Wed May 18, 2011 11:21 am

The question this poses: "what Cogeco AM stations?" Have the 690 and 940 clear channels that Corus turned off somehow been inherited by Cogeco when they bought other Corus Quebec holdings?

According to Cogeco's web site, the only Montreal AM listed is CKAC-730, their French language All Sports station.
ref. - http://www.cogeco.ca/cable/corporate/cg ... radio.html
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby Dan Sys » Wed May 18, 2011 11:44 am

Although nothing has appeared on the CRTC site yet the Industry Canada database shows that a company called Diffusion Metromedia CMT has applied for stations in Montreal on 690 & 940 (no power listed). The transmitter site coordinates are different from that of the former CINF 690 & CINW 940, so I would imagine it's safe to assume that these new stations will not be using the 50KW facilities left behind by those two defunct stations.

The database also shows that a company called Communications Media Evangulique has applied for a station on 1530 in Montreal (again, no power listed).
User avatar
Dan Sys
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:05 pm
Location: Aldergroove, B.C.

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Wed May 18, 2011 1:56 pm

Very weird.

I just did a little digging. Diffusion Metromedia CMR is the French name for Metromedia CMR Broadcasting Inc.

On June 8, 2010, the CRTC granted Metromedia's request for "the revocation of the broadcasting licences" of CINW and CINF, the aforementioned clear channel Montreal 690 and 940 frequencies.
ref. - http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-354.htm
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby Dan Sys » Wed May 18, 2011 3:01 pm

Yeah, very weird indeed. This company would have been a division of Corus as the sale to Cogeco had not been approved at that point. The I/C database is famous for inaccuracies, so I guess we'll just have to wait until all of this appears on the CRTC site to get a clearer picture. Bottom line is SOMEONE has applied to get 690 & 940 back on the air.

Speaking of inaccuracies, thanks for pointing out my typo Jon. It is indeed Diffusion Metromedia CMR......not CMT.
User avatar
Dan Sys
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:05 pm
Location: Aldergroove, B.C.

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Wed May 18, 2011 9:59 pm

Not sure if this qualifies as a "publication", but this is the first published article I've seen that confirms the use of 690 and 940 for the traffic stations in Montreal.

Canadian AM stations increasingly being salvaged with all-traffic radio news
By Marc Weisblott | Daily Brew – Tue, 17 May, 2011

When a radio station in Vancouver became the first in North America to change its format to non-stop traffic reports in 2006, it was viewed by some as a desperate move from an industry that ran out of old ideas, and couldn't be bothered to develop new ones.

But the concept has proven to be worth something in the age of ever-soaring gasoline prices.

Transport Quebec has announced a $3-million scheme to take over two vacant spots on the dial in Montreal as part of a partnership with its new owner Cogeco.

Traffic reports will be heard on the 690 and 940 frequencies in both English and French between 4:30 a.m. and 1 a.m. weekdays. Morning show hosts will get to sleep in for 90 minutes on the weekend.

Programming will include status updates about main highways and bridges, advice on which routes to avoid, road conditions, information on road work sites and tips on highway safety.

And because traffic on the radio is now expected to be reported together with weather, the Montreal stations will deliver those details, too.

The new format marks a resurrection of two long-time frequencies that signed off with no ceremony whatsoever in January 2010. Corus Entertainment attempted to run a French news and talk station during the preceding decade as Info 690.

The sister station, AM940, switched to mostly automated oldies music in 2008 after a failed attempt to offer a combination of local and syndicated English-language chat shows.

Meanwhile, talk radio started to integrate more traffic updates, even if there was nothing to report. Clearly, there was more demand for these reports than most other topics.

So, what would happen if the stuff between the traffic and weather together was eliminated entirely? Montreal will find out soon enough.

The theory was cautiously put to the test in Vancouver, whose AM730 was forced by low ratings to give up on music by 2001, but failed to gain a following for all-news, talk or sports formats.

Ratings for the seven-minute "traffic wheel" offered by the station in morning and afternoon drive quickly doubled anything it tried before. As a result, "All Traffic, All the Time" became a profitable 24-hour format for owner Corus.

Rather than give away prizes, like most other radio stations, AM730 has promised to save listeners money by cutting down their time spent behind the wheel.

The fresh-faced staff who deliver the reports obviously don't cost much, either.
ref. - http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybre ... 20511.html
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby Dan Sys » Thu May 19, 2011 8:08 am

50,000 watts & commercial they will be (see #13 & #14):
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2011/2011-336.htm#13.

Despite those different coordinates on the Industry Canada database the applications state that they will be utilizing the facilities of the former CINF 690 and CINW 940.
User avatar
Dan Sys
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:05 pm
Location: Aldergroove, B.C.

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Thu May 19, 2011 8:34 am

Arguments for an "open competition" for the use of these clear channel frequencies, I think, will fall on deaf ears.

And, rightfully so, in my opinion. Anyone seriously interested has had since January 29, 2010, when the two stations went silent, to come forward with an application to the CRTC. There is no evidence that anyone has done so.

Ironically, the only voices I've heard that wanted to get their hands on these frequencies, have come from Americans, who felt that Canada had lost their right to these frequencies the moment that CINW and CINF went off the air.

All that said, these two frequencies really are "as good as it gets" on AM, especially in Central Canada: 50,000 watts, non-directional 24/7. In contrast, it really is an eye opener to look at the tight directional patterns that many other 50KW stations, like Toronto's CFTR-680 and CHUM-1050, have. Not to mention the many other stations on their frequencies.

Sadly, there are no promises for the future. Just take a look at CKWX-1130 Vancouver, and the havoc they are caused from the new Oregon station.
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Thu May 19, 2011 12:21 pm

Comparisons with AM730 in Vancouver -- positive, like the one above, and negative, as posted elsewhere -- tend to ignore the differences. And there are many.

I'll focus on only one of those differences: the $1.5 million a year from the Quebec government. First of all, that is per station. So, don't be surprised if the two stations run into delays and don't get on the air until Christmas. $3 million for one week on the air in 2011.

Since the original post is a translation from French, "until 2014" might not be accurate, in terms of including the year 2014 but, assuming it is, Cogeco will have pocketed $12 million by January 1st, 2014 and, on that day could make any of the following decisions:
  • sell the stations
  • turn off the transmitters, sell the transmitter sites, and lay off all staff
  • threaten to shut it down if Quebec does not pony up with the same or more money in 2015 and future years
  • keep it going if they have enough advertising to pay the bills
  • add infomercials and/or ethnic programming to the wee hours when they would normally signoff the air
  • cut back traffic during normally quiet hours of the traffic day, adding infomericals and/or ethnic programming, but "pre-empt" should a traffic event occur.
That last point doesn't sound very practical today, but technology might change that. For example, 20 years ago, Germany already had most vehicles on the road with radios that would suddenly move to a Traffic Channel whenever a "Traffic Event" occurred. You would hear the announcement, then the radio would magically go back to whatever station you had been listening to previously.

While I don't think we'll see that technology here that quickly, widespread Internet access in cars is somewhat likely by then, and I could see a smart traffic broadcaster combining SmartPhone and Radio technology into something similar, only making sure the listener stuck around for the commercials.

Of course, it all depends on the quality of Cogeco management, but I can see this situation "having legs".
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby TRENT310 » Sat May 21, 2011 9:21 am

Car radios already HAVE RDS here, it's just no station uses it for anything but station IDs and the name of the current program.
TRENT310
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:40 pm
Location: Whitecourt/Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby Dan Sys » Sun May 22, 2011 8:03 pm

I noticed on the latest Industry Canada database that Neeti P. Ray has applied for a new station on 600 in Montreal. Mr. Ray operates multilingual CINA 1650 Mississauga and has a CP for a new FM station in Windsor.

Between this and the All Traffic proposals for 690 and 940 in Montreal, and applications for new stations on 1400 from Radio Humsafar and on 1530 from Communications Media Evangulique there will potentially be 5 new AM stations signing on the air in Montreal in the near future.

All you guys who continually advocate that the AM band is on its death bed in Canada had better look at the situation in Montreal. The AM band isn't going anywhere soon.
User avatar
Dan Sys
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1887
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:05 pm
Location: Aldergroove, B.C.

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby pave » Sun May 22, 2011 8:46 pm

AM? I'll take one o' those, please.
pave
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1618
Joined: Tue May 23, 2006 12:22 pm

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby jon » Tue Aug 02, 2011 1:00 pm

Dan Sys wrote:APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN
QC Montreal 690 All Traffic (French) (Cogeco-Transport Quebec)
QC Montreal 940 All Traffic (Cogeco-Transport Quebec)
Both of these applications have been temporarily withdrawn due to opposition from the public and interventions filed by several broadcasters citing that the frequencies could be put to better use. As a result the CRTC has now issued a "calls for applications" for both frequencies inviting other interested parties to submit applications.

With so many AM applications in Montreal lately, on relatively undesirable frequencies, it should come as no surprise that this application would be challenged. At the time of application, it was very clear that the licenses were not sold as part of the Corus sale of stations to Cogeco.
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9257
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Montreal All Traffic Radio

Postby Paul P » Tue Aug 02, 2011 2:24 pm

jon wrote:
Dan Sys wrote:APPLICATIONS WITHDRAWN
QC Montreal 690 All Traffic (French) (Cogeco-Transport Quebec)
QC Montreal 940 All Traffic (Cogeco-Transport Quebec)
Both of these applications have been temporarily withdrawn due to opposition from the public and interventions filed by several broadcasters citing that the frequencies could be put to better use. As a result the CRTC has now issued a "calls for applications" for both frequencies inviting other interested parties to submit applications.

With so many AM applications in Montreal lately, on relatively undesirable frequencies, it should come as no surprise that this application would be challenged. At the time of application, it was very clear that the licenses were not sold as part of the Corus sale of stations to Cogeco.


No kidding. Prime spots for traffic... next thing you know someone will ask for something around 730!
Being nice is my resolve - in 2012
User avatar
Paul P
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 350
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:03 pm


Return to Quebec

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests