Question About CBA Moncton Going Silent

[Gregg]

Why did CBA simply go silent and the CBC didn't offer the license to a broadcaster who'd put a format on the air that isn't commercially successful on FM?

When CBL Toronto went off the air, 740 was given to a station broadcasting adult standards. 690 and 940 Montreal went to commercial all-news formats in French and English respectively (although 940 is now an English talk station).

Surely someone in New Brunswick could have made a go of 1070's booming signal also going adult standards or easy listening or perhaps Native American... some format that might not be commercially viable on a local FM signal but might have a chance covering the Maritimes with a format that's not mainstream.

The AM tower is already there, and I believe is on property owned by the CBC for their shortwave towers in Sackville NB. (In fact, CBA was originally CBA Sackville before it became CBA Moncton, switching the city of license to the larger city nearby.) If the CBC were to lease the signal to a private broadcaster, I'm sure 1070 could make a go of it, as 740 CBL has now become CKWO, usually in the top 10 in Toronto's ratings, and also highly ranked in Buffalo.






Gregg
[email protected]

 

[Yeziknoradio]

If I recall correctly, AM 740 had some silence for a short time before 1250 moved their format to AM740. (And it's CHWO, not CKWO)

Plus, it wasn't a case of an FM going AM, it was a case of an AM moving down the dial.

There was also a fight for AM 740.
Corus radio wanted to target "tweens" with a Canadian version of Radio Disney, and there were a few other applicants as well.

If there were any demand for usage of AM radio in New Brunswick, it's doubtful there wouldn't be anyone jumping all over it.

By the way, when dragging Buffalo into this, keep on mind the standards station there was abandoned to other formats.

Buffalo had no choice but to rely on AM 740, CHWO for standards.

 

[mimo]

I wasn't in Canada at the time, but I think all three frequencies went up for auction. I think that all AM frequencies go back up for auction after they go silent, someone may want to correct me. It's up to broadcasters whether or not they want that particular frequency. The optimist in me is hoping that those vacant frequencies may come back to life when the FM band can no longer support new stations.

 

[w9wi]

I wasn't in Canada at the time, but I think all three frequencies went up for auction. I think that all AM frequencies go back up for auction after they go silent, someone may want to correct me. It's up to broadcasters whether or not they want that particular frequency. The optimist in me is hoping that those vacant frequencies may come back to life when the FM band can no longer support new stations.

Broadcast channels aren't auctioned in Canada.

It's my understanding the CBA facility is already being dismantled.

CBA was the last AM station in Moncton. I would imagine it would be far more difficult for a commercial broadcaster to make a go of it on AM there. In Toronto and Montreal, there are other AMs besides the ex-CBC facilities, more than one reason to tune to AM.

 

[Gregg]

When CHWO took over 740, and adult standards could be heard on a 50,000 watt, non-directional station in Southern Ontario, I'm sure that station created its own audience, one that was very familiar with the AM dial. And it provides a format that is unduplicated anywhere else, FM or AM.

So I really don't think the fact that it might be the only AM station left in the Maritimes is that important. If it were only a 5000 watt station, then I'm sure it would just go off the air, as have all the other AM stations in the Maritimes.

But this 50,000 watt, non-directional blowtorch with no other station on its frequency for hundreds of miles around is different. With the best signal by far in the Maritimes, I'm sure a format that would have no competition from any FM station would be able to make a go of it... like standards or easy listening or smooth jazz.

How about a Native American community? The Navajo nation got the FCC to grant it a 50,000 watt station on 660 in Window Rock, Arizona, booming over several states where the community has villages. Or a college or university? Surely some group would want that first class signal. Or did the CBC say the new owner would have to vacate the Sackville antenna farm and build a tower of its own? Then the costs might be prohibitive.

What a waste. The CBC kills the station, yet the CRTC insists on keeping the protection, stopping U.S. broadcasters on 1070 from taking advantage of the silence. Maybe some weak AM station in Maine might be able to switch to 1070 and put out a strong signal for Northern New England.




Gregg
[email protected]

 

[chuckydoll]

W9WI is correct

CBA was the last AM in Moncton. The CBC convinced the CRTC that CBA was losing listeners to FM and would continue to do so.

For those not familiar with Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick is officially bilingual (English/francais) and Moncton is a bilingual region. All Monctom radio en francais has been on FM for several years now. CBA's move now puts all Moncton radio in English on FM.

As for AM 740/Toronto? It's worshipped on this board but has been bleeding money since it signed on from the CBC tower in Hornby. In fact, AM 740 is on its third or fourth owner in only 9 years.

 

[mimo]

¿Are you sure it's had that many owners? Everything else I have read has stated it's been owned by the same family since it's inception and Moses is only the second owner. ¿Who are the others who have owned the station in the past 9 years?

"CBA was the last AM in Moncton. The CBC convinced the CRTC that CBA was losing listeners to FM and would continue to do so"

That is 100% true.

 

[tvlurker]

What a waste. The CBC kills the station, yet the CRTC insists on keeping the protection, stopping U.S. broadcasters on 1070 from taking advantage of the silence.

Just a nit -- I don't believe that CRTC has anything to do with frequency allocations or the NARBA treaty. That falls under Industry Canada's Spectrum Management branch.

That said, AFAIK, the only abandoned AM frequencies that have been relit were the aforementioned ex-CBC stations in Montreal and Toronto.
And even new AM licenses (I think we have a new French xband station coming here in Ottawa, there's a new one on Montreal, too) are Xband and not on existing allocations. In Ottawa, 540, 910/920, 970, 1150(soon), 1440 have gone dark, leaving 580, 1200, and 1310. You'd think CFRA would move to a clear channel that they wouldn't have to reduce power for at night, but they haven't.

Things may change in Ottawa now that the FM band is full.

TVl.

 

[Yeziknoradio]

That said, AFAIK, the only abandoned AM frequencies that have been relit were the aforementioned ex-CBC stations in Montreal and Toronto.
And even new AM licenses (I think we have a new French xband station coming here in Ottawa, there's a new one on Montreal, too) are Xband and not on existing allocations. In Ottawa, 540, 910/920, 970, 1150(soon), 1440 have gone dark, leaving 580, 1200, and 1310. You'd think CFRA would move to a clear channel that they wouldn't have to reduce power for at night, but they haven't.

Does 1430 in Toronto count?

I don't believe they actually went dark back in 1995, but instead declared it to be a frequency swap or something like that.

Fan1430 moved to 590, replacing Country 59, (and all its staff!)

1430 became a multicultural station shortly after the change.