TORONTO — Its stock price was trading in the midday hours of Thursday at $0.14 CDN. Cuts came to Global News operations in the western Canadian provinces earlier this month, and to avoid regulatory concerns it is in the wind-down process of its “QR Calgary” simulcast on CFGQ-FM. Now, Corus Entertainment is discontinuing unique programming on two AMs in big Canadian markets — another cost-cutting move for the fiscally troubled company.
As part of what Corus calls its company-wide “efficiency review,” the company has made “the difficult decision” to reduce its AM radio programming in both Vancouver and Edmonton. As such, CKGO-AM 730 in Vancouver will cease its all-traffic report format and is simulcasting CKNW-AM 980 on a temporary basis.
Concurrently, all-News CHQT-AM “Global News Radio 880” in Edmonton, fresh on the heels of a Game 7 loss by the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Championship, is signing off. A temporary simulcast of News/Talk CHED-AM 630 is in place there.
“As a result, certain roles have been impacted,” Corus says.
What’s the future plan for CKGO and CHQT? “Corus will only operate one AM news-talk station in each of Vancouver and Edmonton,” it would only say.
With spoken word programming its only AM offerings across Canada, surrendering the licenses for the stations could be possible, short of a sale to another operator.
Meanwhile, the company confirmed that its fiscal Q3 2024 results will be released on Monday, July 15, with an 8am Eastern conference call for analysts and investors scheduled.
