FAVORABLE CRTC DECISION - FOUR REGIONAL CORUS QUÉBEC STATIONS MOVE TO FM CNW Following a decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) that was made public today, four of Corus Québec's AM stations - CKRS (Saguenay), CHLT (Sherbrooke), CHLN (Trois-Rivières) and CJRC (Gatineau) - will now be available on the FM band. Corus Québec had filed its original application for this change last July.
The application was based on several arguments regarding current changes in the radio business itself, as well as the financial circumstances of each of these stations. It was also supported by several key stakeholders in the relevant regions.
"Each one of these four stations plays an essential role in its community - as an economic engine, as a high-value forum for several charitable associations, and also as privileged witnesses to local news. We believe that this CRTC decision will enable them to assume these roles in a more extended fashion. It's been proven over a long period of time: moving to FM ensures better service to the community as well as the viability of radio," stated Pierre Arcand, President of Corus Québec.
"We are confident of our ability to build a strong talk FM network - especially since it will be very well positioned in several regions of Quebec. Corus Québec's regional stations have always offered their listeners quality information and a forum for discussing issues that are relevant on a regional level. Our company has always taken on this mandate with its usual professional rigorousness, and will continue to do so," Arcand concluded.
The four stations will be available on the FM band in the spring of 2007. For the first few months, listeners will be able to tune in to them on either the AM or the FM frequency, and they will eventually be available only on the FM dial.
About Corus Québec
Corus Québec, which is part of Corus Entertainment Inc., is the largest private radio broadcaster of news and other content in Québec. The company operates the following radio stations: CKOI Montréal, CHMP Montréal, CKAC Montréal, Info690, 940 Montreal, CFQR Montréal, CIME Saint-Jérôme, CFEL Montmagny, CKRS Saguenay, CJRC Gatineau, CHLN Trois-Rivières, CHLT Sherbrooke, CFOM Lévis and CHRC Québec. Websites run by Corus Québec reach more than 1.5 million francophone and 3.2 million anglophone Netsurfers in Canada monthly, according to comScore Media Metrix figures. |
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