OTTAWA – The CRTC has decided against issuing a call for new radio stations to serve Timmins after finding that the market cannot sustain an additional commercial radio station at this time.
Located in northeastern Ontario approximately 280 kilometers north of Sudbury, the Timmins radio market is currently served by four commercial FM radio stations: the English-language stations CJQQ-FM and CKGB-FM, operated by Rogers Media; the English-language station CHMT-FM, operated by Vista; and the French-language station CHYK-FM, operated by LE5 Communications. It is also served by the Indigenous station CJWT-FM, operated by Wawatay Native Communications Society, as well as rebroadcasting transmitters of Sudbury stations belonging to the CBC.
The Commission said Wednesday that while the Timmins radio market exhibits a profitability margin above national and provincial averages, this is largely attributable to a decrease in expenditures as total revenues in the market have remained stagnant in recent years.
It added it will return the application filed by Vista Radio, and that it will not generally be disposed to accept applications for new commercial radio stations in this market for a period of two years from the date of this decision.
