Christian radio station CJJC-FM "The Rock" will massively expand its broadcast range this fall.
On July 14, the CRTC approved an application for an upgrade to The Rock's broadcasting power from less than 50 watts to 50,000 watts. The enhancement will boost the station's range from a 30 km radius surrounding Yorkton to more than 100 km: an area that contains such communities as Melville, Esterhazy, Kamsack, Canora, and Foam Lake.
The expansion is the result of a long process that included an earlier denied application with the CRTC, says station owner Dennis Dyck.
Dyck has been looking at increasing his station's broadcasting range since shortly after it was established in 2006.
"Like any other business, you want to grow and you want to expand."
The change from a low-power local station to a full-power regional station will mean increased staffing and a shift in The Rock's content.
"Everyone likes alternatives. Everyone likes to have choices. And providing another choice means that we have to provide information to accommodate that," says Dyck. "Obviously now we're going to be catering to people that live in Canora, in Kamsack. You'll be hearing about those events."
The change also requires a frequency shift for the station from 100.5 FM to 98.5, which means a rebranding for "100.5 The Rock."
The newly expanded station is expected to be on the air by the end of the year.
