CKRS-FM

Saguenay 98.3 leads here. For the ice hockey team known as Saguenay 98.3 for season 2008–2009, see Jonquière Marquis.
CKRS-FM
City Saguenay, Quebec
Broadcast area Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Branding Rythme FM 98.3 / 105.5
Slogan Le Rythme du Saguenay
Tout pour etre heureux
Frequency 98.3 MHz (FM)
First air date June 24, 1947
Format adult contemporary (French)
Power 51,000 watts
ERP 100,000 watts
Class C1
Callsign meaning C K Radio Saguenay
Affiliations Cogeco
Owner Attraction Radio
Sister stations CKGS-FM
Website rythmefm.com/saguenay/

CKRS-FM is a French-language Canadian radio station located in Saguenay, Quebec. The station carries an adult contemporary format as part of Cogeco's Rythme FM network.

Owned by Attraction Radio, it broadcasts on 98.3 MHz using a directional antenna with an average effective radiated power of 51,000 watts and a peak effective radiated power of 100,000 watts (class C1).[1] Before 2007, the station was heard on the AM band on 590 kHz with a daytime power of 25,000 watts and a nighttime power of 7,500 watts as a class B station, using a directional antenna with slightly different daytime and nighttime directional patterns in order to protect various other stations on that frequency. CKRS went on the air on June 24, 1947.[2]

It was previously part of the Corus Québec (formerly Radiomédia) network which operates across Quebec. In March 2009, Corus announced plans to drop the talk format on CKRS, CJRC-FM in Gatineau, CHLN-FM in Trois-Rivières and CHLT-FM in Sherbrooke in favour of a hybrid talk / classic hits-oldies format branded as "Souvenirs Garantis", effective March 28, 2009.[3]

In early 2010, the local morning news show featuring Myriam Ségal (previously before for several years by Louis Champagne) was removed in favor of Puisqu’il faut se lever, a province-wide news and discussion program from CHMP-FM in Montreal, hosted by Paul Arcand. Puisqu’il faut se lever was dumped by CKRS-FM a year later, in February 2011, and the station returned to a local morning news show.

On June 25, 2010 it was reported that Corus has agreed to sell CKRS-FM to a local business group known as Radio Saguenay,[4] whose owners include former NHL player and coach Guy Carbonneau.[5][6] The acquisition received CRTC approval on March 1, 2011.[7] However, the commission has approved the transfer of the station's management to Radio Saguenay on an interim basis; the station would be rebranded as "FM 98", but maintaining its classic hits format.[8] The sale to Radio Saguenay was fully approved in November 2010.

In March 2011, CKRS-FM changed its music content from classic hits to mainstream rock, while retaining its talk programming. The station's playlist, however, was heavy on classic rock.

In 2012, the station was sold to its current owners, Attraction Radio, and was rebranded as "CKRS 98,3". Its music and talk programming continued, though at this point, most of its talk programs are networked from Cogeco.[9]

In May 2014, CKRS filed an application with the CRTC, which would amend its licence to reduce spoken word requirements and enable them to carry more music-based programming, a necessity, as CKRS is seeking to affiliate with Rythme FM. The license amendment would allow CKRS to carry 50 hours of local programming a week and six hours and five minutes of local news each week, with the remainder programmed from Rythme FM. CKRS announced the plans and license change, as ratings have shown that CKRS was one of the market's lowest-rated radio stations, with only 5% of the commercial market share, with competing rock station CKYK-FM commanding a 24% share.[9] The application was approved by the CRTC on November 26, 2014; the amendment includes its minimum local "spoken word" requirement reduced to 21 hours a week.[10] Following the approval, it was announced that CKRS-FM and sister station CKGS-FM would join the Rythme FM network starting February 9, 2015.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2006-640
  2. ↑ Astral Communications inc. (2000-01-14). "Notice annuelle -- Exercice terminé le 31 août 1999" (PDF) (in French). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-10-28. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
  3. ↑ Francophone news-talk listeners across much of Quebec will be out of luck at month's end Scott Fybush/NERW, 2009-03-09
  4. ↑ Corus sells Saguenay station to local buyers, The Wire Report, 25 June 2010
  5. ↑ Radio-Info: "Canadian Radio News for June 2010", July 2, 2010.
  6. ↑ "La station CKRS de Corus est vendue". Infopresse. 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
  7. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-137
  8. ↑ CRTC ownership chart for Corus Entertainment (Radio), updated 2010-10-12. Retrieved 2010-10-18. (Notes administrative approval for "temporary management [...] by Radio Saguenay Inc."
  9. 1 2 Fagstein: "CKRS-FM Saguenay wants to become a Rythme FM station", May 27, 2014.
  10. ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2014-612, November 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ Fagstein: "Rythme FM expands with third new affiliate in six months", December 17, 2014.

External links

Coordinates: 48°25′29″N 71°06′30″W / 48.42472°N 71.10833°W / 48.42472; -71.10833

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