Canadian regulators are considering the sale of silent AM radio stations in Winnipeg and Calgary to a broadcaster who owns two radio stations in western Canada.
Akash Broadcasting’s proposed purchase of CFRW/1290 (Winnipeg) and CKMX/1060 (Calgary) from Bell Media became public when the CRTC scheduled the proposal to be considered during a March 27 virtual hearing.
CFRW and CKMX were among six AM stations that Bell took off the air in June 2023 amid national cutbacks.
Akash runs multicultural formats on its stations in Surrey, BC, and Edmonton, AB, but says it has not yet decided on formats for CFRW and CHMX. In response to CRTC questions, Akash wrote, “the applicant is currently reviewing the formats of the stations in question to ensure their continued commercial viability within their respective markets. It is anticipated that the stations will not maintain the formats that the operator employed prior to close of the stations in 2023.”
The last format programmed by Bell on the stations was standup comedy as “Funny 1290” and “Funny 1060.”
The response indicates that each station would carry at least 42 hours of local programming per week.
CFRW is one of only three remaining AM radio licenses in Winnipeg. It uses 10kW with different directional antenna patterns day and night.
CKMX is licensed for 50kW non-directional day and directional night. SWL’ers likely recall that CKMX also operated shortwave relay CFVP (6030 KHz); in response to a question from the CRTC, Akash says CFVP is included in the sale and it “will evaluate the requirements to relaunch the rebroadcaster as part of the wholesale technical rebuild when the application is approved.”
Akash is headed by Herkiranjeet Kaur Mann, who owns car rental companies and hotels in Winnipeg in Calgary.