Bell Media has announced that it will flip Classic Hits 1150 CKOC Hamilton, ON to Sports “TSN Radio 1150” later this year.
Partnering with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats to become the franchise’s new flagship, CKOC will also air broadcasts of the NBA Toronto Raptors and NHL Toronto Maple Leafs that originate on sister “TSN Radio 1050” CHUM in the adjacent Toronto market.
Additional programming information will be revealed closer to the new format’s launch this fall with the current Classic Hits programming remaining until then. CKOC will become the seventh “TSN Radio” station joining Bell Media sister stations in Edmonton, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
TSN announced today that the network is further extending its industry-leading sports brand this fall with the launch of TSN Radio 1150 in Hamilton – marking the first time an all-sports radio station is available in the Hamilton market.
The Bell Media radio station also confirmed today a new multi-year partnership with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) that includes live broadcasts of all Tiger-Cats games as well as additional programming.
In the lead-up to the official rebrand to TSN Radio this fall, Hamilton’s Classic Hits 1150 CKOC delivers live coverage of every Tiger-Cats game, kicking off this month with news and analysis from the team’s training camp. The station continues in its current format through the summer. Broadcast teams for Tiger-Cats games on the station will be confirmed in the coming days. In addition to every Tiger-Cats game, TSN Radio 1150 in Hamilton will deliver live coverage of the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs. Additional programming details surrounding TSN Radio 1150 in Hamilton will be announced in the coming months.
“We are thrilled to announce this new expansion of TSN Radio, which now allows us to deliver the trusted news and analysis that fans have come to expect from TSN,” said Robert Gray, National Program Director, TSN Radio. “Hamilton sports fans are passionate and knowledgeable, and there is no better way to celebrate the addition of TSN Radio 1150 in Hamilton than to become the home of their pride and joy, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.”
“TSN represents the preeminent sports media brand in Canada, and entering into a historic partnership to bring TSN Radio and the all-sports radio format to Hamilton is something the Tiger-Cats are extremely proud of,” said Scott Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer, Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “This partnership will provide an unprecedented platform to connect with TigerCats fans across Hamilton and regionally around southern Ontario in unique and meaningful ways. From game broadcasts to specialty programs to contests and promotions, TSN Radio 1150 in Hamilton will be the voice of the Tiger-Cats.”
With this announcement, TSN Radio is now available in seven major Canadian markets: Hamilton, Toronto, Montréal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. The acquisition of radio rights to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats complements TSN Radio’s extensive slate of live CFL broadcast coverage, which includes the Toronto Argonauts on
TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, the Montreal Alouettes on TSN Radio 690 in Montréal, the Ottawa Redblacks on TSN Radio 1200 in Ottawa, and the B.C. Lions on TSN Radio 1040 in Vancouver.
mimo 
Charles Everett 
jimh 
anonymouscoward 
2 TSN stations in 2 markets that are mere minutes apart. TSN 1050 already has an excellent signal in Hamilton, day and night, as does the Fan 590. CKOC has an excellent signal in Toronto day and night…Therefore, the same programming will be available on 2 stations right next to each other on the dial.
Toronto radio cannot legally target Hamilton and vice versa. The Canadian government is very strict about that — and the ratings issued by Numeris (formerly BBM) reflect that.
I know that, but people in Hamilton can already get TSN programming on 1050 on a signal that’s just as clear and when 1150 flips it will be the same situation for Torontonians, who were listening to CKOC for oldies since CHUM dumped the format years ago. It’s a case of 2 signals of pretty much equal strength in 2 markets offering a lot of the same programming. There will be some differences during drive time and during the cfl season, but you’ll hear a lot of duplication. Expect to see a migration to AM 740 as oldies fans will have to “settle” for them. Imagine the cities in between, Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga who are going to wake up one day wondering why they suddenly have 2 of the same radio station.
Doesn’t matter about “targeting”_ what matters is cross-market listening. and until now I imagine plenty of Hamilton folks listened to TSN on CHUM and likely will keep doing so. So. regardless of govt rulings, all this will do is spilt a given audience between 2 sources of the same programming.
You’re applying a US-style regulatory regime to Canada. The CRTC does not do things that way.
Guessing it was more financially logical to blow up the station with music royalties and DJs than flipping the automated comedy station.
Bummer. I’ve enjoyed DXing night games of Hamilton Tiger Cats on CHML but I guess classic hit fans in Hamilton losing 2 stations in a few years have more to complain about.
The oldies audience in Hamilton has migrated to 102.9 K-Lite for the most part.
By coincidence, Numeris issued its March/April ratings for diary markets yesterday. 102.9 K-Lite is #1 overall in Hamilton in terms of market share and central reach (cumulative audience). CKOC has the smallest central reach of any music station in Hamilton. That makes a solid argument for going sports on AM 1150.
As well, I couldn’t help but laugh at the geography cited by nimo. Burlington is adjacent to Hamilton and considered part of the Hamilton metro. Oakville and Mississauga are both within the Greater Toronto Area.
Nimo is right. That’s because people in Burlington don’t think “I live in the Hamilton market so I must listen to Hamilton stations”. Same with the Oakville and Mississauga folks re Toronto radio. They DONT think about what market they were ” assigned ” to…..they just turn on the radio and listen whatever station they like. So they will notice the same programming on 2 stations very close on the dial.
Burlington is Also considered part of the Toronto PPM market.
CKOC has a clock on its website counting down to the sign-on of TSN 1150, which takes place Labour Day to coincide with the Hamilton-Toronto CFL game.
As well, CKOC is saying goodbye with one last “All-Time Top 500” survey now in progress.