In a number of decisions published Monday on its website, the CRTC has approved the sale of several radio stations located in Ontario.
My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has received CRTC approval for its purchase of three stations from Rogers Media, including Easy 101.3 (CKOT-FM) and its sister station Country 107.3 (CJDL-FM) in Tillsonburg, and Jack 92.3 (CJET-FM) in Smith Falls. Based on a transaction value of $1,095,000 (as revised by the CRTC) for the purchase of the three stations, MBC is required to pay a total of $65,700 in tangible benefits in equal instalments over seven consecutive broadcast years.
MBC indicated in its application that it will broadcast 126 minutes of local programming per week on the stations. It also stated it would broadcast two hours and 30 minutes of local and regional news per week and 18 minutes of national news per week on each of the stations.
The CRTC noted MBC’s proposed level of news represents an increase compared to the levels of news that Rogers Media had committed to broadcast on the stations in its last licence renewal applications. The CRTC also expects each station to devote at least five per cent of its musical selections to those from Canadian emerging artists and to also include Indigenous musical selections on its playlist.
Torres Media Ottawa Inc.’s application to purchase Mix 98.5 (CITM-FM) from Evanov Communications subsidiary Ottawa Media Inc. (OMI) has been approved by the CRTC. Torres will be required to pay tangible benefits totalling $97,255, representing six per cent of the CRTC-revised transaction value of $1,620,430. As a condition of service, CITM-FM is required to devote at least 40 per cent of its musical selections in each broadcast week to Canadian selections, which is five per cent above the standard 35 per cent customarily imposed on commercial radio stations.
The CRTC has also approved two separate applications from 1001012762 Ontario Inc. (2762 Ontario), which is owned and effectively controlled by not-for-profit Radio Communautaire Cornwall-Alexandria Inc., to purchase radio stations in the Clarence-Rockland and Hawkesbury markets. With the CRTC approvals, 2762 Ontario is acquiring 92.5 Big FM (CHRC-FM) in Rockland from Evanov subsidiary Dufferin Communications and 107.7 Big FM (CKHK-FM) in Hawkesbury from Evanov’s OMI. Based on the CRTC-revised transaction values of $270,000 for the CHRC-FM purchase and $207,600 for the CKHK-FM acquisition, 2762 Ontario is required to pay tangible benefits of $16,200 and $12,456, respectively.
The only programming requirements specified by the CRTC for CHRC-FM is for it to devote at least five per cent of its musical selections each week to those from Canadian emerging artists and to include Indigenous musical selections in the mix. The commission also reminded 2762 Ontario that the station must incorporate spoken word material in its local programming, which must include local news, weather, sports coverage, and the promotion of local events and activities. In the case of CKHK-FM, it is currently subject to a condition of service that requires it to devote at least 40 per cent of its musical selections each broadcast week to Canadian selections, which the commission expects it to maintain. It also received the same reminder about including spoken word material such as local news, weather, sports coverage, and the promotion of local events and activities.
