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JiC: there have already been discussions about bringing his TV show to BPM Sports.

As you’re no doubt aware, the sports media market isn’t exactly in the pink of health. Many networks are struggling to make ends meet at the moment.

This is particularly true of TVA Sports, whose financial losses have been known for years.

Another station experiencing some difficulties is BPM Sports. The Montreal, Quebec City and Gatineau sports radio station needs to find ways to generate more money.

How about a partnership with TVA Sports?

According to Réjean Tremblay, who appeared on Radio Pirate with Jeff Fillion earlier this week, there have already been discussions between TVA Sports and BPM Sports to create a relationship.

One of the ideas on the table? Broadcasting Jean-Charles Lajoie’s TV show on the radio. Basically, ifhis radio and TV shows were similar, the content would be similar, but at a different time.

They did a trial run to see if the Jean-Charles show [could work].

One option was to have his TV show simulcast [on BPM]. – Réjean Tremblay

In the end, Jean-Charles got his own morning show on the radio. However, after a year, he is no longer employed by the radio station.

Jeff Fillion is right: if the plan to see the TV show on the radio had worked, it would have been good for TVA, for BPM and for JiC. But negotiations didn’t work out that way.

One big reason why it didn’t happen? TVA Sports is a big partner of Loto-Québec and BPM Sports is heavily associated with Bet 99, so it didn’t work out that way.

Bet 99 is the radio station’s biggest advertiser and doesn’t want Loto-Québec in its way. Loto-Québec, for its part, demands exclusivity. That’s already putting a spanner in the works.

Réjean Tremblay also adds, to explain the failure of negotiations, the fact that BPM Sports has the radio broadcasting rights to the Montreal CF. TVA Sports lost its TV rights to Apple, of course, but also to RDS.

That’s why Réjean Tremblay, who now writes for BPM Sports after leaving Le Journal de Montréal (Québecor) after 12 years there, says it didn’t happen in the end.

It’s also worth remembering that the CRTC doesn’t want a media outlet to be in three separate domains (radio, print and TV), which surely put a spanner in the works for the project as such.

It remains to be seen whether another attempt will be made to link the two stations one day.


In bursts

– Good question.

– Not to be missed today.

– The year of the Hurricanes? [BPM Sports]

– John Scott knows how to wish Jonathan Bernier a happy retirement.

– Last but not least.

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