First Peoples Radio ceased operating 95.7 ELMNT FM Ottawa (CFPO-FM) and 106.5 ELMNT FM (CFPT-FM) Toronto at midnight on Monday, Sept. 1.
The stations were launched in the fall of 2018 with a goal to “fill the gap” for urban Indigenous listeners under-represented in the radio landscape. They carried an “Indigenous-variety” format, featuring both English and Indigenous-language spoken-word and musical programming, with 25% of the playlist dedicated to Indigenous talent.
“Since opening our doors in 2018, we have brought awareness of and support to Indigenous artists across Turtle Island, as well as amplify Indigenous voices in our communities,” First Peoples Radio wrote in a post to the stations’ websites on Friday. “While we still feel there is more work to do, work that we dearly wanted to do to highlight the amazing talent and potential of our communities, we are proud of the impact we have been able to make over the past seven years.”
Jean LaRose, Chairman of the Board of FPR and acting General Manager, told Broadcast Dialogue back in May that the stations’ future was in jeopardy. With the pandemic hitting just a year and three months into their operation and limited revenue opportunities, ELMNT FM was forced to cut its staff from 26 to six. LaRose said the stations had been relying on CRTC approval of an application by FPR to redirect $2 million in tangible benefits being paid out by Stingray Group to support FPR’s operations, however the commission denied that proposal.
Corus Radio had provided space for the stations in both markets within its existing radio studio facilities, while Bell had provided tower capacity.
