A sad moment in Canadian radio: 900 CHML shuts down
AM radio is struggling everywhere these days. As the oldest form of commercial radio broadcasting–the tech dates back to around 1900 and commercial AM stations started popping up after WWI–its best days are behind it. Companies in countries worldwide are shutting down their transmitters. Some programming migrates to another band–FM or DAB, mostly–but others just go…dark.
Such is the case with 900 CHML in Hamilton, Ontario, a station I’ve done plenty of work with. I was also the program director at Y108 down the hall, which required lots of interaction with all the CHML folks.
Today, CHML went silent. Costs had exceeded revenues for a very long time. Even in 2001 when I was in the building, CHML suffered revenue challenges. And despite is heritage position in Southern Ontario–having first gone on the air in 1927, it’s one of Canada’s oldest stations–the business just wasn’t salvageable. Believe me, management has been trying for years to turn revenues around.
On Aug 14 at around noon, it shut down.
The 900 Khz position is now empty.
Think that advertising money flowing to Facebook, Google, Netflix, Spotify, and others isn’t hurting the Canadian landscape? You bet it is.
Owner/operator Corus had this to say:
“We want to extend our profound gratitude to all of our listeners, valued advertisers and community partners – thank you for your steadfast support throughout the years. Your loyalty and this community have been the foundation of our station’s legacy, and we deeply value the connection we’ve shared with you. After decades of service to our remarkable community, we are announcing the closure of the 900 CHL radio station.
“This decision, though incredibly difficult, has been made after careful consideration and is necessary following years of financial losses. The shift of advertising revenues to unregulated foreign platforms, combined with the difficult regulatory and competitive landscape, has forced us to make the difficult decision to close. We will always cherish the rich history and the countless moments that defined CHML. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey.”
It’s sad but not an isolated situation. This is just latest in a series of AM station closures across Canada over the last 12 months. Bell closed a bunch of stations in Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Calgary, and London last summer. Corus closed two stations in Vancouver and Edmonton earlier this year.
This also part of a worldwide trend to leave AM behind. And with many electric vehicle manufacturers looking to eliminate AM, the pressure on such stations is only going to get worse.
