RADIO/AUDIO/PODCAST:
South Asian Broadcasting Corporation Inc., which owns the RedFM stations in Vancouver (CKYE-FM) and Calgary (CKYR-FM), has purchased CIRC Radio Inc., which operates Toronto’s CIRV-FM, 88.9 MHz Toronto’s Multicultural Super Mix. The CRTC approved the transfer of ownership on Oct. 12. South Asian is controlled by Kulwinder Sanghera, who touts the acquisition as a way to create a national platform for advertisers. Francisco (Frank) Sestelo Alvarez has operated CIRV-FM since 1986 and will continue operating speciality channel Festival Portuguese Television (FPTV). CIRV-FM’s programming is predominantly Portuguese, Spanish & Chinese. It also airs Brazilian, Caribbean, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Ukrainian and Urdu programming.
Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited, which operates 95 radio stations under Newcap Radio, released its third quarter results reporting revenue of $41.5 million, one per cent higher than the same quarter last year. Year-to-date revenue of $122.6 million was $3.5 million or three per cent higher than 2015. Newcap cites increased audience numbers in Toronto and Ottawa for the revenue growth.
The CRTC has called for comments after receiving applications for new commercial broadcasting licenses in Ottawa-Gatineau, Brampton, ON and St. John’s, NL. The Ottawa and Brampton submissions are for new commercial ethnic licenses. The St. John’s application is for a 51,000-watt commercial station. The interventions deadline is Dec. 5.
The CRTC has denied a licence application by Atlantic Broadcasters Limited for a 60,000-watt country FM radio station in Antigonish, NS. ABL owns 98.9 XFM (CJFX-FM). Opposing the application were MacEachern Broadcasting Limited (CIGO-FM Port Hawkesbury) and Hector Broadcasting Company Ltd. (CKEZ-FM and CKEC-FM New Glasgow), who successfully argued another station would negatively impact existing ones.
Harvard Broadcasting Regina’s 14th annual Children’s Hospital Radiothon raised a record $532,312.95. The 23-hour event aired on 620 CKRM, MY92.1 (CHMX-FM) and 104.9 The Wolf (CFWF-FM) and saw an anonymous donor step forward to match donations up to $100,000. Since it began, the event has raised over $4.4 million. The new Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan is set to open in 2019.
Cape Breton University’s campus radio station can now be heard on 107.3 FM in Sydney, NS. Previously, Caper Radio (CJBU-FM) could only be heard on campus or online. The current licence allows just five watts of broadcasting power.
The British Columbia Association of Broadcasters (BCAB) will hold its 70th Annual Conference, May 16-18, 2017, at the Watermark Beach Resort, in Osoyoos, BC. Applications for the BCAB 2017 Humanitarian Award are now being accepted through Dec. 31. Collectively, BC broadcasters donate millions in advertising to the winning charitable organization.
Newcap Radio has re-branded eight of its Alberta country stations as the Real Country Network. Led by CCMA Station of the Year CKGY-FM Red Deer, the network includes CKSA-FM Lloydminster, CHSP-FM St. Paul, CKWB-FM Westlock, CKVH-FM High Prairie, CKSQ-FM Stettler, CIBQ-FM Brooks and CJPR-FM Blairmore. The stations will have live morning shows, but off-peak programming will be centralized out of Red Deer. Seven on-air and programming positions have been eliminated as a result. Newcap says all the stations will continue to provide extensive local coverage to each community they serve.
SiriusXM Canada will launch Blue Rodeo Radio, a limited-run channel to celebrate the legendary Canadian country rock band, starting Nov. 11 on The Verge (ch. 173). Blue Rodeo Radio will explore the band’s vast catalogue, including their 14th studio album 1000 Arms. The channel will also feature an exclusive first broadcast of the band’s SiriusXM concert, recorded live at Toronto’s Revival Bar in October.
