MONTREAL – Bell Media has asked the CRTC for permission to flip one of its Montreal radio stations from one official language to the other.
The company said Tuesday that it has filed an application with the Commission asking to convert TSN Radio 990 to RDS Radio 990 as a result of its pending acquisition of Astral Media. The CRTC’s commercial radio policy limits the ownership of multiple radio stations in a given market.
An extension of Bell Media’s French-language sports channel RDS, RDS Radio 990 will air “comprehensive coverage of the Montreal sports scene, along with best-in-class analysis from RDS sports experts and Insiders”, reads the announcement. Pending CRTC approval, English-language broadcasts of the Montreal Canadiens games will move to Astral's CJAD 800, which already offers exclusive English broadcasts of the Montreal Alouettes and the Montreal Impact games.
“With RDS Radio 990, we're presented with a formidable opportunity to enhance and extend the RDS brand by delivering best-in-class sports content and coverage across another platform to our fans," said RDS president Gerry Frappier, in the announcement. "For the past 23 years, RDS has set the benchmark for French-language sports broadcasting in Canada, and we look forward to raising the bar even higher now with RDS Radio 990."
"Powered by the strength of the RDS brand and its exceptional roster of on-air personalities, RDS Radio 990 is a natural and logical fit for francophone fans in the Montreal market," added Chris Gordon, president of radio and local TV. "We're excited to make an impact on the Montreal sports scene and engage listeners with the local stories and athletic coverage that matter to them the most."
