by Colin Dacre
November 27, 2020
If all goes to plan, Kelowna’s 103.9 CKOO-FM could be back on the air by the spring.
The Canadian Radio and Television Commission has approved the purchase of the radio station’s broadcast license and assets by Paul Larsen for $500,000.
His company, Radius Holdings, is purchasing the license from trustee Grant Thornton, which took possession of it when Soft 103.9 went bankrupt on March 31.
“I was happy to see the CRTC see the value in maintaining a locally-owned radio station independent of the large corporations,” Larsen told Castanet on Friday.
“My intent is to just bring something back that had already existed. I think there is a listenership demographic that got underserved when the station went off the air.”
Larsen says he hopes to have the station back on the air by the spring, offering similar music and programming to Soft 103.9, but under a different brand.
Read More HERE
For a change— a good news radio story — All the best Paul!!!
I’ll echo that Don. The CRTC may not totally be totally out of touch and in the pockets of the big guys after all.
Reading the CRTC decision, a couple of good nuggets.
1. The Commission also notes that the interveners are part of large broadcasting groups with significant resources and synergies while CKOO-FM under Radius would be an independent player.
No kidding. One owned by a Billionaire (maybe the richest person in Canada) and the other an international publicly traded company that paid $500-Million+ to get into radio just a year or two ago! Yet they try and argue that they might not survive if this little station got approved!
2. The Commission further considers that Mr. Larsen’s experience as an independent broadcaster in smaller markets would improve the station’s chances at achieving long-term viability.
Nice of the Commission to recognize that this isn’t Larsen’s first rodeo and he was a long time successful small market owner. Really nice to see the CRTC still wants smaller people as part of the mix.
Bottom line, nice to see this station rise from the ashes and not just disappear with Covid as an excuse. From what I see driving around town, people are out shopping and buying stuff still! The mall was packed yesterday.
Fantastic to read this news. That station was great and getting better all the time with different music from all the other stations and local personalities. Hopefully it comes back pretty close to how it was before Castanet took it off the air.
Brave of Mr. Larsen to take this on but sounds like he has the experience to make it go after reading the article and a quick google check on his background.
Best of luck to him getting CKOO re-established.
Oh for the days of radio people owning and managing radio stations! Rooting for you, Paul!
A radio station not in the hands of the big 3 is great news.
The question is: How tough is it to make a radio station profitable in this day and age ?
Paul Larsen is a consummate broadcaster with an understanding of the business side. He will make it a success. Here’s wishing you all the best.
GG