The station had been a staple of the local media landscape for 97 years, serving residents since 1927. Photo Credit: CHML/X.
Local radio station AM 900 CHML has officially ended its broadcasts after an unexpected announcement earlier in August.
The station, which broadcasted Hamilton news, traffic, weather, and talk radio, had been a staple of the local media landscape for 97 years, serving residents since 1927.
CHML was owned by Canadian mass media company Corus Entertainment, which operates the national Global News network and other specialty television channels like Showcase, Slice, and YTV.
The news came without warning, with hosts unable to even say goodbye to their listeners.
A statement was simply posted on CHML’s X account at 12 p.m. on Aug. 14, and the station was taken off the air.
The release read, “We want to extend our profound gratitude to all of our listeners, valued advertisers, and community partners – thank you for your steadfast support through the years.”
“Your loyalty and this community have been the foundation of our station’s legacy, and we deeply value the connection we’ve shared with you.”
The statement also noted that the decision to close the station was “incredibly difficult,” was only made after “careful consideration,” and was “necessary following years of financial losses.”
“The shift of advertising revenues to unregulated foreign platforms, combined with the difficult regulatory and competitive landscape, has forced us to make the difficult decision to close,” the post concluded.
The radio station included The Scott Radley Show, Hamilton Today hosted by Scott Thompson, and Good Morning Hamilton hosted by Rick Zamperin.
CHML also previously hosted The Bill Kelly Show, but that was cancelled in August 2023 as part of an earlier restructuring.
It is unclear what will happen to the CHML building at Main Street West and Longwood Drive in Hamilton’s Westdale neighbourhood.
Mayor Andrea Horwath released a statement calling the decision to close CHML “devastating.”
“This is a tremendous loss to our community. This station has connected us in unquantifiable ways, with each other and with the rest of the province, the country, and the world for almost a century,” continued Horwath.
“It’s important to identify how the local news landscape continues to be impacted by ever-expanding web-based platforms. Advertising dollars are increasingly going digital, directly threatening the radio and print industries which is a troubling trend that reduces our access to local news and content.”
“With the help of the teams behind the scenes that made the radio magic happen, our CHML friends; were there for us without fail; in the car as we headed to work and back, joining us on the way to our kids’ extra-curricular activities, sharing the joy of victory and the pain of defeat as we cheered on our local sports teams, providing a trusted local source of informed reporting and news, and so much more,” Horwath concluded.
The station was also a long-time partner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The football team also released a statement saying that 900 CHML “has been a cornerstone of Hamilton’s media landscape and a cherished part of our Tiger-Cats community.”
The statement continued that the team was “stunned” and “deeply saddened” by the news of the station’s closure.
Corus Entertainment had stated in July that they would be reducing their workforce by 25 per cent due to large losses.
However, there was no indication at the time that they would be closing their Hamilton station.
Nevertheless, over the past decade, Corus Entertainment’s stock price has fallen 99.52 per cent from its 2013 peak.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
