Login / RegisterThe PEAK FM swaps frequencies with Co-op Radio
In one of the strangest deals in Canadian broadcasting history, 100.5 the PEAK is swapping frequencies with Co-op Radio to achieve what PEAK vice president and general manager Gerry Siemens calls a “rare win-win situation”. Starting midday on Monday (September 10), you’ll find the PEAK at its new home of 102.7 FM, with Co-op taking over the 100.5 frequency with some much-needed equipment upgrades.
“Co-op for years has been operating at 102.7, and their transmitter is antiquated and ready to die,” Siemens told the Straight. “We approached them and said, ‘Hey, we can make a deal here which will overcome our problem of having a signal that doesn’t penetrate a lot of skyscrapers downtown, and give you money to operate indefinitely and also pay for your new transmitter. For them, it was a lifeline.”
Siemens credited Marc Lindy for negotiating the trade during his time as the board president at Co-op, adding that “we had no interest in the nature of the programming. Once they’re at their new home at 100.5, they’re on their own.” Co-op, meanwhile, scores five years of operating support from the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (owners of the PEAK), along with its new stereo transmitter.
As for the PEAK, “it allows us to compete on a level playing field with all the other broadcasters on the market,” Siemens explained. “We could only put out a somewhat limited signal. Now we’ll either be the loudest or one of the loudest signals in the market, and that just enables us to compete better.”
