METROMEDIA TUNING INTO AM FREQUENCIES
By Adnews Staff
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has granted two operating licences to radio stations on the 690 and 940 AM frequencies in Montreal. Applications to use these frequencies were submitted to the CRTC in February by Metromedia, the CBC and Radio Nord. The frequencies became available when the CBC transferred its stations "La premiere chaine" and "Radio One" to the FM band. The CRTC granted the licences to Metromedia, which will now be able to change the frequency of CKVL Verdun, its French-language station, from 850 to 690 AM. CICQ Montreal, which is its English station, will also change from 600 to 940 AM. According to the CRTC, the technical problems CKVL and CICQ experienced in recent years were taken into account in making the decision. International agreements require stations on the existing frequencies to reduce their broadcasting power between sunset and sunrise. According to the CRTC, the two stations were not able to adequately reach their listeners. The decision eliminates the technical problems and allows the two stations to better compete in their markets. For the first six months, the CRTC will allow Metromedia to simultaneously broadcast CKVL's and CICQ's programming on both frequencies.