The CRTC last week approved Torres Media’s acquisition of Evanov Radio Group’s English-language radio station CHSV-FM (currently operating as Lite 106.7 FM) in Hudson/Saint-Lazare, Quebec.

With a transaction value of $310,000, the change in radio station ownership requires Torres Media to allocate $18,600 in tangible benefits, to be paid in equal installments over seven consecutive broadcast years, to various content funds, including the Canadian Starmaker Fund, Fonds Radiostar, FACTOR, Musicaction, the Community Radio Fund of Canada, and any eligible Canadian content development initiative at Torres Media’s discretion.

In its application seeking CRTC approval for its acquisition of the station, Torres Media said it intends to continue the operation of CHSV-FM as a locally focused and independently owned radio station serving Hudson, Saint-Lazare and the region of Vaudreuil-Soulanges. It said it plans to discontinue using the current CHSV-FM studios in Montreal and instead use studios local to the communities the station serves.

Torres said it intends to maintain the station’s current adult contemporary format and plans to broadcast 126 hours of programming each week, including at least 42 hours of local programming. It also said it will devote a minimum of one hour and 15 minutes each broadcast week to local, regional and national news.

Given that Torres has proposed to operate CHSV-FM under the same terms and conditions as those in effect under the station’s current licence, the CRTC has ordered Torres to adhere to the existing condition of service requiring the station to devote at least 40 per cent of its musical selections from content category 2 (popular music) to Canadian selections.

The station is also expected to devote at least five per cent of its musical selections to songs from Canadian emerging artists, and to also include indigenous musical selections on its playlist.

In response to a request for information from the CRTC, Torres Media previously confirmed it intends to devote at least five per cent of its music selections to Canadian emerging artists. It further stated it intends to support and promote emerging Canadian artists through on-air mentions, artist spotlights, interviews, social media exposure, website features, and participation in local and regional events.

The CRTC concluded that approving the change in ownership of CHSV-FM to Torres Media is in the public interest, noting it will help ensure the station continues to provide local programming to the English-language official language minority communities (OLMCs) in Hudson and Saint-Lazare.