Arsenal Media is a broadcasting company based in Quebec, Canada operating 18 radio stations.
Through its various antennas, the group is able to reach more than one and a half million potential listeners in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Estrie, Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière, Beauce, Chaudière-Appalaches, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Haute-Mauricie, Gaspésie/Bas-Saint-Laurent, and Côte-Nord.
The group was founded as a subsidiary of Attraction Media in 2011 following the association of Richard Speer (Founding President of Attraction Media) and Sylvain Chamberland. The group's first acquisition was that of the station CHEQ-FM in 2012. The transaction was announced on March 1, 2012[1] and was authorized by the CRTC on June 8 of the same year.[2] CHEQ General Manager Mario Paquin describes the transaction as "the first link in Attraction's radio division" and adds that other transactions are to come.
A month and a few days later, the station CJIT-FM located in Lac-Mégantic is acquired from the company Les Productions du temps perdu inc.[3] [4] The transaction is authorized on July 5. Subsequently, two other transactions will follow in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and thereby finalize the series of transactions of the year 2012: That of CKRS-FM announced on June 18 and authorized on October 12, 2012.[5] [6] and that of CKGS-FM which was announced on September 12 and authorized on December 14.[7] [8]
2013 begins with the announcement of the acquisition of the station CJLM-FM from the Coopérative de radiodiffusion du M103-5 FM. Negotiations to purchase the station began in November 2011 and the agreement was announced on January 23, 2013.[9] The acquisition of assets was approved by the CRTC on July 30, 2014.[10] In 2013, the company would officially bring only one station into its fold: CKYQ-FM in Plessisville. The transaction was announced on October 17, 2012, but was authorized by the CRTC on February 13, 2013.[11] [12]
On April 23, 2014, Attraction Radio acquired the Réseau des Appalaches.[13] This network consists of three stations and two rebroadcasters. CRTC authorization will arrive on June 19, 2015.[14] On December 2, 2014, Attraction radio announced the conclusion of an affiliation agreement with Cogeco Media for the implementation of the Rythme FM network in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.[15] The CKRS-FM station will therefore become a station of the Rythme FM network as of February 9, 2015.[16]
On February 3, 2016, two stations located on the Côte-Nord are acquired: CKCN-FM and CIPC-FM.[17] A few weeks later, on February 22, two other stations entered the company's fold: CHRM-FM and CHOE-FM.[18] These are located in Matane. The transaction between the group and Les Communications Matane was authorized by the CRTC on June 13 of the same year.[19] On April 28, an agreement was reached with Radio Haute-Mauricie Inc. for the purchase of the station CFLM-FM.[20] The station officially became the property of Attraction Radio on October 31 of the same year.[21]
On March 22, 2018, Sylvain Chamberland, vice president and chief operating officer of Attraction Media and president of Attraction Radio, purchased the group's fifteen stations through an agreement. This marks the end of Attraction Media's adventure in the radio world.[22] Conditional on the CRTC's approval of the transaction, a new entity is announced. The latter approves on July 31.[23] The new entity is called Arsenal Media.
On August 13, 2018, the station CKRS-FM, which became CILM-FM, moved under the O banner due to the non-renewal of the affiliation agreement with the Rythme FM network with Cogeco Media.
On August 26, 2019, Arsenal Media announced the acquisition of the station CFVD-FM belonging to Radio Dégélis inc.[24] The CRTC gives its approval on December 11.[25] The group officially became the owner of the station on March 2, 2020.[26]
On May 6, 2021, Arsenal Media announced that it had reached an agreement with Cogeco Media.[27] This agreement means that Cogeco would become the owner of the CILM-FM station located in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Arsenal Media would become the owner of the Capitale Rock (CHGO-FM and CJGO-FM-1) and WOW (CHOA-FM) stations in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Conditional on CRTC approval, it was approved on March 24, 2022.[28] [29]
On April 25, 2022, the company officially became the owner of stations CHGO-FM, CJGO-FM and CHOA-FM and transferred station CILM-FM to Cogeco Media.[30]
On February 8, 2024, Arsenal Media announced the acquisition, subject to regulatory approval, of seven regional stations owned by Bell Media (CFZZ-FM in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, CFEI-FM in Saint-Hyacinthe, CJDM-FM and CHRD-FM in Drummondville, CJOI-FM and CIKI-FM in Rimouski, and CFVM-FM in Amqui).[31] [32] These stations are being acquired as part of a restructuring at Bell Media. Arsenal intends to disaffiliate the Énergie and Boom stations, which will join the O network, and the Rouge stations, which will join the Plaisir network.[33]
Arsenal Media's stations are grouped under one of the company's four banners. Each of its banners has a distinctive brand image and is aimed at diverse audiences. The O brand has a Top 40 musical style. Four stations display the colours of the Plaisir banner intended for an adult audience. Hit Country, a network launched in 2019, broadcasts country music. The WOW FM brand is shared with Cogeco Media.