CION-FM

An application for a community FM station at Riviere-du-Loup was denied by the CRTC. If approved, the station would have broadcast on a frequency of 103.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 60,000 watts. The CRTC was receptive to a revised proposal using a Class A channel rather than the proposed Class C frequency.

Communications communautaires des Portages was granted a licence for a new community FM station on December 7. It would operate on a frequency of 103.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 60,000 watts.

CION-FM signed on the air in September.

On September 17, the CRTC denied the application to renew the licence for CION-FM. Since its inception, CION had experienced serious and persistent compliance difficulties, despite being cautioned repeatedly by the Commission. The station was ordered to cease operation no later than September 30, the date on which its licence was to expire.

The station did leave the air on September 30.

On November 4, the CRTC approved an application by CION-FM Inc. to resume the operation of CION-FM. The station would operate as a commercial French-language undertaking. It would broadcast under its former parameters – on a frequency of 103.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 60,000 watts. CION-FM would operate in a Group IV music format. CION-FM Inc. was 70% controlled by La Cable de Riviere-du-Loup, the local cable television system operator. Station employees and the public would eventually each hold 15% of the voting shares.

The CION-FM call letters were previously used by a community station here – between 1982 and 1987. The CRTC decided not to renew that stations’ licence, which expired September 30, 1987. The new CION was an independent commercial FM station that acquired all of the former community station’s broadcast facilities and equipment and would operate with the same technical parameters as the previous station. The new CION-FM planned to rely to a significant extent, on Radiomutuel’s FM group for music, news, foreground and night-time programming.

CION’s application to change the transmitter site from the south shore to the north shore of the St. Lawrence River was denied. Six other broadcast operations opposed the move, which the CRTC said would reduce the potential audience on the south shore. CION, licenced in 1988, was not yet on the air.

CION-FM, licensed in 1988, was given until August 31 to go on the air. Implementation was delayed by a federal court case finally settled last year in favour of CION.

On August 20, CION-FM Inc’s. request to have its licence revoked was approved. The new station never made it to air.