Quebec station denied appeal of CRTC ruling

Controversial Quebec City rock radio station CHOI-FM is one step closer to being shut down.

The Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday in Ottawa that it will not hear the station's appeal ofa CRTC decision not to renewitslicence.

TheCanadian broadcast regulatordenied CHOI a licence in 2004, saying it had received numerous complaints about racist and offensive comments made by the station's on-air personnel, particularly former morning-show host Jean-François Fillion, who has since resigned.

Tens of thousands of people rallied in Ottawa and Quebec Cityto protest the ruling, whichalso drew criticism from severalfederal and provincial politicians.

A three-judge panel had ruled that the station could continue to broadcast while it mounted an appeal of thedecision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

CHOI —better known locally as Radio X— was bought last year by Quebec's Radio-Nord, with the CRTC approving the sale in October.