Saskatoon's two main commercial radio rivals are leading a proposal to start an aboriginal radio station — but critics are dismissing it as a circuitous bid to further their monopoly in the city.

The federal telecommunications watchdog, the CRTC, recently said the two rivals, Rawlco Radio and Elmer Hildebrand's 629112 Saskatchewan Ltd., are behind a trust that has applied for permission to start the station.

The companies said the idea is to get more aboriginal people working in the local media, promising they will even eventually sell the station to an aboriginal group for $1.

However, potential competitors have argued that its an attempt to further dominate the airwaves and monopolize advertising dollars by the two companies, which each own one AM and two FM stations in Saskatoon as well as other stations around the province.

Under the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's rules, a company can only own three radio stations in a market the size of Saskatoon. The trust would give them a way to get around the regulation.

Some of the criticism has come from CJVR Radio, a small independent station based in Melfort, about 160 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

CJVR has also applied to start a new station in Saskatoon.

'I see this as an opportunity for them to just strengthen the monopoly they already have.'-Ken Singer, CJVR Radio spokesman

Ken Singer, the vice president of broadcast operations for CJVR, questioned the motive behind the aboriginal radio bid, suggesting the big players in Saskatoon are trying to keep everyone else out.

"I see this as an opportunity for them to just strengthen the monopoly they already have," Singer said.

But Gordon Rawlinson, a co-owner of Rawlco Radio, dismissed the complaint.

In the end, it will be up to the CRTC to determine whether Saskatoon needs a new commercial radio station and which application will be allowed to proceed.

The watchdog will begin hearings into all the applications this fall. One of the hearings is scheduled to take place on Oct. 31 in Regina.