CKZM-FM

On October 12, the CRTC approved the application by My Broadcasting Corporation for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-language commercial FM radio programming undertaking in St. Thomas. MBC was a corporation controlled by Jon Pole and Andrew Dickson. The new station would operate at 94.1 MHz (channel 231A) with an average effective radiated power of 1,370 watts (maximum ERP of 4,370 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 46.5 metres). The station would offer a Gold-based Adult Contemporary music format. MBC would broadcast 125 hours of local programming in each broadcast week. The local programming would include approximately 14 hours of spoken word programming, of which approximately 5 hours would be devoted to news. In approving the application, the Commission considered MBC’s experience in operating small-market stations. In this case, given the close proximity of St. Thomas to London, the Commission considered the maintaining of service to St. Thomas, as proposed by the applicant, to be fundamental in the granting of the new FM station to MBC. For this reason, the Commission found it appropriate to impose conditions of licence to ensure that the station served the primary market of St. Thomas. MBC indicated that it would agree to conditions of licence requiring it not to identify itself on a basis that included exclusive reference to London, to include references to the St. Thomas and Elgin County region in all its traffic and weather reports and to include references to local news and events in the St. Thomas and Elgin County region on a regular basis in the programming broadcast. The licence would expire August 31, 2017.

The CRTC approved the change to the ownership of My Broadcasting Corporation, for estate planning purposes, through the transfer of Andrew Dickson and Jon Pole’s voting interest in My Broadcasting (35.05% each) to their respective family trusts. The transaction did not affect the effective control of the licensee, which continued to be exercised jointly by Andrew Dickson and Jon Pole. My Broadcasting was the licensee of various radio programming undertakings in Ontario.

On May 20, 94.1 MY FM (CKZM) began on-air testing with 5,000 songs in a row.