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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

CJOB, siblings moving to Polo Park

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 03/8/2010 11:28 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

CJOB has confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets in the Winnipeg radio business.

The city’s No. 1 station has bought the old CTV building in Polo Park and hopes to move there, along with its Corus-Entertainment-owned sister stations, by as early as Jan. 1, 2011.

The stations’ general manager, Garth Buchko, formally told his staff Monday morning.

"Corus is making a significant investment in capital for the new home of CJOB, Power 97 and Groove FM," Buchko wrote to the Free Press in an email.

"Construction begins as soon as possible. Our goal is to be in the building by Jan. 1, 2011."

The stations are currently based at 930 Portage Ave. That building is now being put up for sale, Buchko says.

Early Buchko had said that plans for the empty CTV building at Polo Park, owned by Cadillac Fairview, call for a redevelopment into a combined commercial-retail space. The Corus stations would take one floor.

"The location is perfect," Buchko said. "The plans for the retail development (of the entire former Winnipeg Arena footprint) are quite spectacular."

The move has been in the works for three years, Buchko says, and must take place because the stations have outgrown their current location.

CJOB moved into the Portage Avenue building, a former post office, in 1962. The station is Winnipeg’s perennial ratings leader. In the most recent fall ratings period, it captured a 16.2 share of the market.

Power 97 came in 8th a 6.3 share and Groove (the former Cool FM) 12th with a 1.4 share.

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