Fraser Valley/Vancouver (with files from Canadian Radio News/Dan Sys) – The triple threat frequencies that are currently KiSS Radio, serving Chilliwack, Abbotsford and Vancouver, could be in for a shake up should the owner, Rogers Communications, get their way with the CRTC.
Rogers has filed an application to turn CKKS-2 104.9 in Vancouver into a stand-alone station. It is assumed that would be with separate programming from CKKS 107.5 Chilliwack and CKKS-1 92.5 Abbotsford. CKKS-2 Vancouver is technically a re-broadcaster for CKKS Chilliwack, although programming on the three station network currently originates from Vancouver.
Technically, according to the application: an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a new commercial radio station to serve Vancouver.
The three stations have had an interesting history over the past 20 years since Rogers purchased the stations from Bill Coombes of Chilliwack. The former owner operated Fraser Valley Broadcasting (the original Star FM). After the purchase in 1999, the FM frequencies have had a number of names and formats including X-FM, Clear FM, Greatest Hits FM, Fun FM, Sonic and now KiSS.
No details on formats or what plans Rogers ultimately has for the three stations were made available on the CRTC release. Local Rogers radio management told FVN that they could not comment at this time as the process is moving through the CRTC.
The CRTC RELEASE can be found here: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2019/2019-102.htm
