Corus Radio launched 92.5 The ‘Chuck Edmonton last Friday, a quirky, hyper-local rebrand of its Bright AC format 92.5 Fresh Radio (CKNG-FM). The ‘Chuck is a nod to the city’s nickname “Edmon’chuck,” with the station marketing using the tagline “If You Live Here, You Get It.” Greg Johnson, FM program director for Corus Radio Edmonton, describes it as a “pop-rock variety machine” playing 80s, 90s, 2000s and current music. The station will also feature less chatter, with fewer than the traditional amount of announcer breaks which will be “super-produced.” The station’s talent roster remains intact, but on-air staff are all now tasked as “content creators,” producing and writing content across the station’s social and digital platforms. Read the full story here.
Ryan Griffiths & Rachel Detta
Bayshore Broadcasting has launched Country 102 (CJMU-FM) Muskoka, serving the communities of Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Huntsville. Bayshore’s ninth radio station and fourth country station, Country 102’s talent lineup includes Ryan Griffiths & Rachel Detta in the morning, Teghan Robinson on middays, and Rick Ringer covering off afternoon drive.
Newcap Radio parent Newfoundland Capital Corporation Limited has released its Q2 2018 financial results showing revenue of $43.5 million, down one per cent year-over-year for the quarter. Year-to-date revenue of $79.2 million was $0.2 million or less than one per cent lower than 2017. The company says its expansion into Kamloops, BC provided revenue growth while Newfoundland and Labrador continue to face challenging economic conditions. Soft audience ratings from last fall and winter temporarily impacted the Ontario operations. In the most recent ratings, released in June 2018, the company had regained its first place ranking in the key Toronto market. Profit for the period of $7.7 million was $0.6 million or seven per cent lower than the same quarter last year and year-to-date profit of $11 million was $0.3 million or two per cent lower than last year primarily because of higher integration costs in the current year. In addition, the second quarter last year included a gain on the disposal of CISL-AM of $0.9 million.
Alex Docking
Alex Docking is celebrating 50 years in broadcasting. Docking was just 18 when he started as the evening DJ/announcer at CFRY-AM Portage la Prairie, MB. He went on to work at CJOB-AM Winnipeg before getting his feet wet in television at CKX Brandon and then CKCK-TV (now CTV) Regina where he made his foray into news as a late night weather announcer and producer, eventually moving up the ranks to reporter, anchor and assignment editor. From 1985 to the 1987, Docking was CTV’s national correspondent for the Prairies, based out of Winnipeg. He returned to CTV Regina in 1987 and was named news director in 1991. In 1999, Docking joined CJME-AM Regina, hosting a provincial afternoon show that was also heard on sister station CKOM-AM Saskatoon. While he retired from full-time work in 2016, he continues to fill in at CJME. He was honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the RTDNA in 2012.
Brad McNally’s show The McNally Masquerade is now part of the weekly schedule at David Marsden and Igor Loukine’s Toronto-based alt online station NYTheSpirit.com. McNally was a key DJ with the original CFNY-FM, The Spirit of Radio and now lives in Australia.
