1650 CINA

CINA 1650 AM is a commercial ethnic radio station based in Mississauga, Ontario, serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Owned by Neeti Prakash Ray’s CINA Media Group, the station launched in December 2008 as Canada’s first full-time South Asian commercial broadcaster under CRTC licensing. Operating 24/7 on 1650 kHz AM and via digital streams, it targets South Asian, Armenian, and Indo-Caribbean communities across Peel Region. Programming broadcasts primarily in Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi, alongside dedicated blocks for other local multicultural groups.

The schedule mixes live talk, regional news, and community discussions. Station founder Neeti Prakash Ray hosts the morning show, delivering local updates, traffic reports, and current affairs tailored for GTA commuters. Broadcasts focus on practical community matters, including settlement advice, legal updates, and coverage of local diaspora events.

Music programming features a blend of classic Bollywood hits, modern pop, and Bhangra. Daytime rotations balance tracks from classic performers like Kishore Kumar with modern Punjabi artists like Diljit Dosanjh, interspersed between news and talk segments.

According to CINA Media Group's official statements, the station serves a potential target audience of over 1 million multicultural listeners across the GTA. While public radio ratings from Numeris have been restricted to industry subscribers since August 2022, CINA maintains a established position as Peel Region's pioneer South Asian commercial outlet.

Compared to regional multicultural competitors such as CIAO 530 AM and CJMR 1320 AM, CINA provides full 24/7 ethnic programming backed by a 5,000-Watt daytime transmitter in Mississauga. Nighttime coverage drops to 680 Watts per CRTC technical parameters, which limits AM signal range outside Peel Region, while commercial breaks remain frequent during peak broadcast hours.

Quick Facts

Frequency: 1650 AM