CRTC approves Cogeco purchase of Corus stations in Quebec
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission today approved the acquisition by Cogeco of the Quebec radio stations owned by Corus. As part of the deal, Cogeco will establish a news agency to be called Cogeco Nouvelles, which will feed participating local stations with talk-radio content concerning public affairs. This is intended to allow local stations to devote their resources to local coverage. The commission also approved Cogeco's request to maintain a third talk-radio FM station in Montreal in addition to the two permitted by the common ownership policy. However, the CRTC refused a request to transform the CKOY-FM Sherbrooke station into a rebroadcasting transmitter of CKAC-AM Montreal. Cogeco will instead divest itself of CKOY. Cogeco will also divest itself of the CJEC-FM and CFEL-FM stations in the Lévis/Quebec City market.