But I digress, all this makes perfect sense Steve, and I don't think there's anybody to concerned amongst your readers to this site with how Bell feels....TTP frankly seems to want to concentrate on radio for now...be the type of broadcasters like the Watters, Pouliots, Slaights,etc. and not have to worry about the content on a tablet or smartphone.....Sure, you will be able to their new stations on the net...and that's good enough..

So go buy 690 from Bell...and this will make it easier for CTRC to tell Bell to go to hell, frankly after Bell asked for the switch from 990 to 690 tobetter serve the angloe clientele...Bell lied..all they want to do is keep the frequency.....So TTP might just get 690 after all..

And yes, they should go for 850 and go for French all-sports..After all, isn't that what Bell said..in their application for the language switch....that there's a need for an all-french station...well give it to TTP and of course, 800 khz in QC is a key here and give them the two big Franco markets in Quebec..

So TTP you go for it all the way...and get new people and don't recycle others that other outlets really didn't want..

Like Pierre Trudeau said in 1980, " The Universe is unfolding as it should."

I ask what synergies would TTP group have if they don't have live sports games, and they don't have a complimenting national radio or TV presence?

TTP's synergies are mainly through the fact that they're running all their Montreal stations out of the same office. I don't think the plan is necessarily to have no live sports games, just that their impact is more psychological than financial. According to Tietolman, sports radio is marginally unprofitable without these marquee sports rights, and marginally profitable with them. He feels he can make it work.

Of course, its chances for success plummet if there's another French-language sports station owned by Bell.

I certainly don't doubt Mitch Melnick when he wrote recently that Team990/TSN990/TSN690 has yet to turn a profit and only this year, and with a bit of help from the Canadiens making the playoffs, the station might have turned a profit. Melnick credits the synergies with TSN network, and Habs rights broadcaster for the station to turn the corner in the right direction.

I ask what synergies would TTP group have if they don't have live sports games, and they don't have a complimenting national radio or TV presence?

The only question I have about all these plans is, does it make sense to have only AM stations in any broadcast companies plans?

Something off topic to post though. Rogers Media has a petition of support set up for their purchase of CJNT-DT, and license modifications. It's located here for those who care.

http://www.citytv.com/montreal/static/208480

First and foremost, a NEW voice in sport radio (french) would be a much better choice than trading one for the other. Having an anglo sports stations and a french sports station would be a plus, I think. For those who are bilingual, it would also create competition, a plus really.

Second, it's clear that Teitolman's group is interested in expanding in the radio market, not contracting it. Clearly if a new group is coming in wanting to open commercial stations, it stands to reason that buyers could be found for the Astral stations on a market by market basis. Astral's sale to Bell is a contraction of the market, and not a positive.

I would also say that Bell's involvement with the Canadiens is a real issue as well, it gives them a particularly unfair advantage in the market place. I am guessing that Bell has figured that they can have the anglo side on CJAD, and when the French contract comes up, get the rights for the French side as well as a sweet deal. With RDS already having the TV rights in French and TSN having much of the rights in English on cable, it seems like a no brainer - and certainly not a positive.

I hope that this big by TTP gives the CRTC yet another reason to say no to Bell.

Steve, the co-ordinates for the Ile-Perrot land don't put it "in the middle of a forest" as you say. It looks to be more like wide-open farmland terrain, as you can see from looking at the ground view shots on the map.

It's in the middle of an area of large trees, large enough to cast long shadows. I'd call that a forest. There's plenty of farmland nearby, but the actual coordinates (according to Google Maps) is in an undeveloped wooded area.

Definitely a most interesting story. Timing, I think, is everything though. I'd like to see the 600 khz application approved sooner than later and to see the first two TTP stations get on to the air, also sooner than later.

The thing is there are practical issues at play. It's hard to rent office and studio space, for example, if you don't know how many stations you'll be running from there. But I certainly think they should start with these two stations and move on to others later if they want to expand.

I hope this happens. It sounds like the ideal solution to everyone's problems.

Bell might not be too happy about having to sell a station and not being able to launch RDS Radio.

I'd love a way to intervene in favour of this but it doesn't seem possible to do yet.

The 850 application, as well as any change of ownership applications, would all be subject to a public comment period.