CRTC APPROVES EIGHT QUEBEC RADIO STATIONS, DENIES ASTRAL SALE
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission has approved applications for eight new radio stations in Quebec. Radio-Nord Communications and the Société Spectra Scène will operate a French-language jazz and blues station at 91.9 FM. Gilles Lajoie and Colette Chabot received approval for a French-language nostalgia music station at 1570 AM aimed at people over the age of 50. Canadian Hellenic Cable Radio, at 105.1 FM, will offer programming aimed at the Greek community, as well as the Armenian, Croatian, Serbian, Russian and Filipino communities. Aboriginal Voices Radio has received approval for an FM station that will broadcast in French, English, Spanish and a number of Aboriginal languages. All of these stations will be based in Montreal. André Gagné has received approval for a French-language rock music station at 104.5 FM in Sherbrooke. Radio Communautaire Missisquoi will launch an FM station in Lac Brome that will air local programming in English, French and German. Cogeco Radio-Television will launch a French-language adult contemporary music station at 93.7 FM in Sherbrooke and another at 100.1 FM in Trois-Rivières.
In related news, the CRTC has turned down an application by Astral Media to sell its AM radio assets and CFOM-FM Quebec City to an entity controlled by the TVA Group and Radio-Nord. The commission cited concerns regarding media concentration in Quebec as the chief factor in its decision, and reiterated that Astral Media is still obligated to divest itself of CFOM-FM to a third party not associated with Astral. In a statement, Astral Media said it will look for other potential buyers with the intention of concluding a sale as quickly as possible.