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The Hotline with Rick Howe to go silent? |
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Written by Staff
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Sunday, 16 December 2007 |
 A recent decision by the CRTC will have many AM 920 CJCH Hotline listeners asking a simple question. Will the Hotline, with host Rick Howe be cancelled?
CTV, the new owner of AM 920 CJCH radio recently received approval to flip the oldies station to the FM band, at 101.3 MHz.
Details contained in the CRTC's decision appear to indicate the Hotline will be cancelled or cut back, with the switch to FM.
"CTV indicated that the new FM station would continue to operate within an oldies musical format targeted to adults between the ages of 35 and 64. Approximately 8 hours of the broadcast week would be devoted to local spoken word programming including news, sports, traffic and weather as well as entertainment information and event reports. In each broadcast week, the station would air just over one hour of news, of which a minimum of 50% would be local."
With only 8 hours of the broadcast week dedicated to local spoken word programming, it's difficult to imagine the Hotline, with its 15 hours of weekly talk, squeezing into CTV's new format.
Will the Hotline go silent? Only time will tell.
CTV has up to 24 months to make the switch, however, the applicant has informed the Commission in writing that it is prepared to commence operations.
AM 920 CJCH listeners should expect the switch to the FM band to take place sooner rather than later. Probably in the spring of 2008, or sooner.
In their decision, the CRTC also authorized the owner to simulcast the programming of the new FM station on 920 CJCH for a transition period of three months following the commencement of operations of the FM station.
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