The CRTC has approved Stingray Digital Group’s purchase of Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited (NCCL) and its radio and television stations for $523,949,242. Stingray will take ownership and effective control of Newcap’s 71 radio stations and 29 rebroadcasting transmitters in B.C., Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador, and two conventional television stations in Alberta, where the company also operates an exempt tourist information radio station. Stingray’s application to the CRTC indicates it plans “to build on the strong local focus of the current programming of the NCCL stations by bringing its financial resources, music programming experience, multi-platform reach and committed personnel to the existing NCCL operation.” Read more here.
First Peoples Radio Inc. officially launched its ELMNT FM stations in Toronto and Ottawa Wednesday. FPR aims to fill the gap for urban Indigenous listeners who don’t hear themselves represented in the current radio landscape. The “Indigenous-variety” format will feature both English and Indigenous-language spoken-word and musical programming with 25 per cent of its playlist dedicated to Indigenous talent. In addition to local and national news and current affairs segments, the stations will feature content generated by APTN National News and The Canadian Press with plans for a network call-in talk show hosted by journalist David Moses, that will also air on stations operated by Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation in Saskatchewan and Native Communications Incorporated in Manitoba. LISTEN to our full interview with Jean La Rose, chair of First Peoples Radio and CEO of APTN, on Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast.
CBC is merging its radio morning shows in central and western Newfoundland into regional program CBC Newfoundland Morning. Both the Corner Brook and Gander studios will remain in operation with Martin Jones co-hosting from Gander and Bernice Hillier co-hosting from Corner Brook. CBC Newfoundland Morning will be broadcast across western and central Newfoundland, as well as the Labrador Straits with its first broadcast on Monday.
Sportsnet 650 (CISL-AM) Vancouver has acquired radio rights to the Vancouver Canadians, the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The all-sports radio station will broadcast home games and select road games beginning with the 2019 season. Canadians play-by-play announcer Rob Fai will have the call. Sportsnet will also televise six games on Sportsnet Pacific throughout the 2019 season.
The CKNX Health Care Heroes Radiothon raised $313,419 for eight regional hospitals on Oct. 20. Broadcast on Blackburn Radio’s AM920 Wingham, ON, the 17th annual event supported Chesley and District Health Services Foundation, Clinton Hospital Foundation, Goderich Alexandra Marine and General Hospital Foundation, Listowel Memorial Hospital Foundation, Mount Forest Louise Marshall Hospital Foundation, Palmerston and District Hospital Foundation, Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation and the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation. Since 2002, the radiothon has raised over $11 million.
The Hot Docs Podcast Festival happens Nov. 1-5 in Toronto with the event’s third incarnation featuring podcasts Criminal, StartUp and LeVar Burton Reads LIVE! Two live, variety-style showcases will also highlight Canadian talent, hosted and produced by Matt Galloway and Lindsay Michael from CBC’s Podcast Playlist.
Canadaland has released its serialized podcast Thunder Bay, delving into the northern Ontario community’s high homicide rate, racism, and the tragic deaths of nine Indigenous teenagers. Hosted by Ryan McMahon, who hails from the troubled city, the first two episodes have been released to an average five-star listener rating on iTunes.
SiriusXM Canada’s holiday music lineup will feature 15 commercial free channels, including five available exclusively on SiriusXM’s streaming platforms. Seven of the channels will start broadcasting Nov. 1. New to the lineup this year is an exclusive Mannheim Steamroller channel, 70s/80s Christmas, Rockin’ Xmas, Holiday Chill-Out and Jazz Holidays. Find the full list here.
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