Canada’s broadcast regulator has determined that Winnipeg cannot support another commercial radio station and has instead allowed a proposal for a new community station to advance.
In applications filed last year, 888 Enterprises Inc. had sought a commercial ethnic station while U Multicultural Inc. sought a community ethnic station. Both proposed new 800-Watt (class A) radio stations on 88.7.
The application for a commercial station triggered a review by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission into whether the Winnipeg market, which currently has 15 commercial radio stations, can support another.
The review also prompted Gill Broadcasting, which was denied a full-power commercial ethnic station in 2015, to express new interest in getting a commercial license. Gill operates low-power station CKYZ-FM/96.9.
All of the current commercial broadcasters in Winnipeg opposed the 888 Enterprises application due to declining market revenues. Dufferin Communications, which operates commercial ethnic station CKJS-FM/92.7, also opposed the U Multicultural application, saying a new ethnic station would harm CKJS and that CKJS still has open timeslots available.
In light of a sharp decline in Winnipeg radio revenues during the COVID-19 pandemic and two years of national declines, the CRTC concluded that the market cannot support another commercial station and dismissed 888 Enterprises’ application. The decision means the CRTC will likely not consider applications for new commercial radio stations in Winnipeg in the next two years.
Meanwhile, ten intervenors, including some existing stations, submitted comments supporting U Multicultural’s proposal, saying it will likely not have an impact on existing commercial stations.
The CRTC will consider U Multicultural’s application at a future hearing.
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