radio - edmonton radio news 2007 - come on down!
new edmonton fm radio licence - call for applications

Subscribe to the Last Link  subscribe to the last link | save to del.icio.us | submit to digg | share on facebook


Crowded Dial

Edmonton's major radio market has more stations per capita than anywhere else in Canada.


With eight AM stations and nineteen on the FM band, one would think there was at least one format available to suit everybody – everybody except the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.


CRTC

Established by Parliament in 1968, the CRTC is vested with the authority to regulate and supervise all aspects of the Canadian broadcasting system. In other words, they're the folks in charge.


On November 14th, 2007 the CRTC announced it had received an application for a broadcasting licence to provide a commercial radio service to serve Edmonton, Alberta.


The CRTC then opened a call for applications (the legalese can be read here).


Applicants will be required to provide evidence giving clear indication that there is a demand and a market for the station and the proposed service.


In addition, applicants will have to show how they will contribute to Canadian Content development, with initiatives that will support, promote, train and develop Canadian musical and spoken word talent, including journalists.


An analysis of the market is also required – which basically means an applicant has to prove it will make money (and not at the cost of others). For the convenience of applicants, the CRTC provides their own financial snapshot of the Edmonton radio economy.


Of note to those in the business is the conclusion that the average annual radio salary in town is about $74,000. Knocking off ten to twenty grand in terms of employer-provided benefits and pensions, it is suggested the average jock in town pulls down $54K per annum.


Those in the business suffering from sticker shock need only look at the company parking lot – and mentally match up the SUV and Lexus automobiles and interest-free vacation home loans to those not sweating behind a hot microphone.


With 25 unique radio signals broadcast in Edmonton (both CKUA and CBC Radio One simulcast on both AM and FM), what room is left on the radio dial for a new station?


Ethnic audiences are served by the public broadcaster's CHFA French outlet in addition to the Rogers specialty licenced CKER World FM's smorgasboard of multi-lingual delights (while not discounting CBCX - Radio-Canada's Espace Musique).


The Aboriginal voice is heard on CFWE 96.7 and CFIE/CKAV-4 at 89.5 – both mainly regional/national re-broadcasters.


Christian radio is provided by CJCA AM and CJRY FM (both Touch Canada outlets) while sports fans are able to rally around CFRN's Team 1260.


The youth market is well-served by recent newcomers CHBN (The Bounce) and CHDI (Sonic Radio), both pulling down solid ratings numbers.


Moving up the age demographic, CFBR The Bear and CIRK K-Rock duke it out with their takes on the Classic Rock format.


More mature audiences are served by CFMG - EZ Rock 104, CKNG's Joe FM, Rawlco under-performer CHMC Magic 99 and Corus under-achiever CHQT Cool 880.


Country music enthusiasts are ponied up by a trio of outlets. CISN and CFCW are the format's veterans, but three may be too small a crowd for Newcap's Big Earl (big in name but small in the way of ratings).


The news/talk format is dominated by 630 CHED (who have been winning rating contests longer than memory can serve). While CKUA and CBC Radio One both broadcast current affairs, despite their efforts their audiences remain miniscule to the Mighty 630.


Worth honourable mention in this summary are the eclectic musical sounds of CKUA and student-run CJSR – both well-respected by the local radio cognoscenti.


(For a complete overview of the capital-region dial, visit the Last Link Radio In Edmonton page).


The call for a new radio outlet in Edmonton will test the CRTC.


Recent concerns among watchers of the industry have raised the issue of media concentration and editorial and musical diversity within a market.


"Emerging artists" in the performance field is a frequent phrase heard, as is the need for more local but differring news and opinion.


Given the market dominance of Corus flagship 630 CHED, a competing news outlet would be a strong indicator the CRTC was committed to ensuring diversity – a sensitivity the regulator has been seen to acknowledge in recent hearings.


Future conditions of licence may also reflect the CRTC's attitude toward voice tracking (the pre-recording of spoken content) and 24/7 live operation.


An overriding condition that potential applicants face is the CRTC two-AM/two-FM market ownership rule.


Among the major players, CTVglobemedia only has one FM outlet in Edmonton: CHBN The Bounce. Rogers, thought to be a contender wanting to expand their nation-wide news all format, may squeak through as their CKER is a specialty outlet (they also own CHDI Radio Sonic).


Waiting in the wings could be another application from Saskatchewan-based Rawlco (CHMC Magic 99) and Jim Pattison (who holds numerous broadcasting properties in British Columbia in addition to advertising, grocery and automobile concerns).


And not to be discounted are possible micro-market applications for blues, other non-English or possibly even all-Hawaiian formats.


Unfilled FM frequencies in Edmonton include 93.1, 95.7, 98.5, 102.3, 106.5, 107.1 and 107.3 MHz (although the upper channel options may encounter technical challenges from Navigation Canada).


Deadline for submissions is January 23rd, 2008. As they say, stay tuned ...


For more information about the CRTC, visit their Wikipedia entry and the CBC Archives.



Updates


On February 8th, 2008 the CRTC released the list of applications received for a new FM licence in Edmonton. As was expected, Rogers filed for an all news licence.


On March 14th, 2008 Corus Radio announced that their under-performing CHQT Cool 880 station would be switched from an oldies format to an all news operation. On May 20th, a week before the CRTC hearings were to take place, iNews 880 made its debut.


Beginning May 27th, 2008 the CRTC held hearings to entertain the 14 applications received for a new FM licence in Edmonton.



Related Last Link Pages