MONTREAL – Corus Québec and Cogeco Radio Television today announced the creation of Groupe Force Radio, a consolidated national sales team that will form a single company which will be the largest radio sales organization in Quebec.
It will begin operation on June 4.
"Our aim in combining the Corus Québec and Cogeco Radio Television Inc. sales teams into Groupe Force Radio is to increase radio usage in Quebec and build on the undeniable marketing strength of 18 stations with complementary formats," said Corus Radio Montreal vice-president of operations Mario Cecchini and Cogeco Radio Television CEO René Guimond in a joint statement.
As a one-stop shop for multimarket advertising buys, Groupe Force Radio will represent 30 radio stations in Quebec: Five Cogeco stations and 13 Corus Québec stations, as well as 12 stations of its first client, Radio-Nord. Force Radio will reach over 3.3 million listeners each week, or nearly half of Quebec’s population (BBM S1-2007, 12+) "and will be especially dominant in Quebec’s two largest markets, Montreal and Quebec City," says the press release.
The new partnership is likely a response to the impending Astral-Standard Radio merger as both of those station groups together will also be quite a strong Quebec presence.
"Groupe Force Radio will offer its clients integrated sales service and access to a powerful network of diverse and top performing stations. It will make it easier and simpler for media placement firms to do business with Corus Québec and Cogeco Radio Television Inc. by centralizing transactions with a single supplier. This new approach will reduce the number of stakeholders in each project and significantly increase transactional efficiency," says the release.
It’s not clear at this point if the new partnership will result in job losses.
"In addition, Groupe Force Radio clients will have access to experienced sales personnel and a full multidisciplinary team including research, creative, and interactive resources," says the release.
The Groupe Force Radio board of directors consists of six members and is alternately chaired by representatives of Corus Québec and Cogeco Radio Television Inc. Mario Cecchini of Corus Québec will serve as board chair for the first year, and René Guimond of Cogeco Radio Television Inc. will serve as vice chair. The other board members are Richard Lachance, vice-president for radio, Cogeco Diffusion; Daniel Dubois, vice-president of sales, Corus Québec; Monique Lacharité, senior vice-president of finance and administration, Cogeco Radio Television; and Martin Fournier, controller of Corus Québec. Groupe Force Radio will be managed by Kathleen McDonald, national sales director of Cogeco Diffusion.
"Consolidating our sales forces under one roof creates an integrated transactional tool that is efficient and highly competitive. It’s a real benefit for our clients. Groupe Force Radio will be a major player in the highly competitive world of Quebec media," added the Guimond/Cecchini statement.
Corus Québec radio stations (13)
* 690 AM – Info 690 (CINF) – Montreal
* 940 AM – 940 News (CINW) – Montreal
* 98.5 FM – Montreal 98.5 FM (CHMP) Montreal
* 96.9 FM – CKOI – Montreal
* 92.5 FM – Montreal Q92 (CFQR) – Montreal
* 102.1 FM – CFEL – Quebec City South Shore
* 730 AM – CKAC SPORTS (CKAC) – Montreal
* 800 AM – INFO 800 – Quebec City
* 1150 AM – CJRC – Outaouais
* 590 AM – CKRS – Saguenay/Lac St. Jean
* 630 AM – CHLT – Estrie
* 550 AM – CHLN – Mauricie
* 102.9 FM – CFOM – Quebec City
Cogeco Radio-Television Inc. radio stations (5)
* 105.7 FM – RYTHME FM – Laval/Montreal
* 91.9 FM – RYTHME FM – Quebec City
* 93.7 FM – RYTHME FM – Sherbrooke
* 100.1 FM – RYTHME FM – rois Rivières
* 93.3 FM – Independent station – Quebec City
Radio-Nord stations represented by Groupe Force Radio (12)
* 91.9 FM – CKLX – Montreal
* 100.9 FM – CKNU – Donnacona
* 96.5 FM – CFTX – Gatineau/Ottawa
* 97.1 FM – CHLX – Gatineau/Ottawa
* 104.3 FM – CHGO – Val d’Or/Amos
* 103.5 FM – CHOA – Rouyn-Noranda
* 104.9 FM – CJLA/CHPR – Lachute/Hawkesbury
* 95.7 FM – CKYK – Alma
* 1270 AM – CFGT – Alma
* 99.5 FM – CHRL – Roberval
* 100.3 FM – CHVD – Dolbeau-Mistassini
* 93.5 FM – CKXO – Chibougamau/Chapais
