CKYR-FM

On May 24, the CRTC approved an application by Multicultural Broadcasting Corporation Inc. for a licence to operate a new ethnic commercial FM radio station to serve Calgary. The station would operate on 106.7 MHz (channel 294B) with an average effective radiated power of 1,100 watts (maximum ERP of 8,000 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 236 metres). MBC indicated that all of the station’s programming would be ethnic, targeting no less than 23 ethnic groups in 19 different languages, and that no less than 90% of the programming would be broadcast in third languages. The programming would be devoted primarily to the South Asian radio market, and more specifically to the Punjabi and Hindi speaking populations. The Commission noted that the provision of such a broad service to the Calgary radio market would ensure that a number of smaller ethnic groups in that market had a basic radio service. MBC indicated that 120 hours per broadcast week would be devoted to local programming. Approximately 50 hours of the programming to be broadcast over the broadcast week would be spoken word programming, of which seven hours and 45 minutes would be news (70% local). MBC committed to devote, by condition of licence, at least 10% of all content category 3 (Specialty Music) musical selections aired during each ethnic programming period to Canadian selections broadcast in their entirety. The licence would expire August 31, 2018.  
 

CKYR-FM began on-air testing in February. It was known on-air as RED FM.