The CVM Group will be closing its Hot 102 FM radio operations in Montego Bay on December 31.

The move eliminates 15 jobs, including sales, news, sports, technical operations and administration.

Wayne Chen, chairman of the CVM group, said the MoBay operation was unprofitable.

"It has been losing money for a long time - certainly for the two years that I have been associated with the CVM group," said Chen.

The closure had been long recommended, he told Sunday Business, "but we were trying as long as possible to hold off."

Chen said he could not immediately quantify how much the group would save with the closure.

The staff would have the option of taking up existing vacancies in its Kingston operation.

This, he said, would not be treated as a transfer, but rather new employment.

The company has also decided to maintain all health insurance benefits until the end of February 2009.

As it relates to equipment at the Montego Bay station house, Chen said there was not much equipment as the space was mostly used as a sales office.

dionne.rose@gleanerjm.com