CFN – In an odd twist of fate Montreal’s TSN 990 is about to go poof into the night because of the CRTC regs about station ownership; in this case a company owning more than three stations in a market. While an exemption was requested the CRTC decided to ignore the realities and forced Bell to act like Bell and decide to pull the plug on the long time sports staple in Montreal.
This is a sticky wicket. There are very few English language stations left and this was one of them. Switching to RDS990 may make Bell their 30 pieces of silver, but it’s going to really hurt what little was left of a certain culture that has all but dissipeared.
Is it about money? Listeners? Is it simply the residue of our governments allowing such media concentration? Could Bell sell 990? Yup. Would they? Never. And that means voices like Ted Bird, the tri-lingual Tony Marinaro (the best announcer the station has) and original long time nudge Mitch Melnick may be looking for work with the rest of the crew.
Listeners have taken to Facebook and social media, but big corporate decisions have a way of not changing. There is a glimmer of hope to save the station which most likely will not shutter immediately.
The facebook group’s links is HERE.
What a sad time for Montreal….
You can post your comments below.
I really hope that some listens to our voices.I believe we have a right to demand that our right to listen to a talk show that we have been used to in a language that is other tan the one that we have shoved down our throats on a daily basis by unilingual politicians and bureaucrats who believe that they are the only ones who know better than the evryday hardworking citizens ,who by the way, have to work in order to pay their inflated salaries.So,please ,will someone with any good sense try to bring these fat assed air heads to their senses and let us keep what is rightfully ours
Total horseshit! I am so over the top sick and tired of this Nazi dictator regime telling us what language we can or cannot read, speak, listen, or work in.
If TSN 990 (CKGM) goes French, I am boycotting everything that is Bell. I suggest you all do the same, or just shut up, sit back, and take what they give you. You know…like sheep do.
We are the most powerful force in the “free” world.
We are the consumer.
WE DECIDE!
Bad deal for crtc
Mike Boone has a complete article on this in Thursday’s Gazette. Lots of money lost over the last five years and few listeners forced the owner’s hand. I just hope News/Talk Radio CJAD 800 can pick up the English Canadiens broadcasts which it lost a year ago to TSN 990. CJAD is heard easily in Cornwall. Interestingly, with 990 AM being shut RDS Radio will move to 690 AM which is a clearer signal in the Montreal region. There they will have the Canadiens games in French. Pray for CJAD to regain the Habs’ broadcasts!
They will Gerry.
My bet: the CRTC will stick to its rules. Ironically, the role of the CRTC (originally) was to help unify Canadians.
I personally do not see this as anyone trying to shove a language down anyone’s throats, as someone suggests above. It’s business.
Bell is buying Astral so must comply….unless the CRTC bends its own rules.
Morning Mare. Of course the CRTC can break its rules. It’s why exemptions exist. Emotionally, and as one of the early listeners, and someone that Ted Blackman helped give a start to I can understand the loyalty to Team 990. On sober second thought I can see some of “the team” moving over to CJAD; especially the nudge at night show 🙂
It’s simple. They can sell the station & everything’s fine….or do like Grant suggests…switch out of anything Bell..
TSN 990 is the only Eng. language sports talk stn in Mtl. This is
just another way of showing the remaining Eng. Quebecers just how insignificant we are. That we really don’t matter or count. And that what we have to say doesn’t matter. Good job.
If this goes through I’ll never purchase any of Bell’s services or products. If I want to follow the habs, I’ll listen to English CJAD radio or watch English CBC television. To hell with RDS.
So many people I know including my brother , listen to this sports radio on the daily! Why lose so many fans?