Global News Radio 640 Toronto (CFMJ-AM) has announced a refreshed programming lineup that includes new shows hosted by Global TV personalities Alan Carter and Jeff McArthur, and the debut of a simulcast of Global Toronto’s Global News at 6.
Set to launch Mar. 4, the revamped lineup sees Carter take over the noon to 1 p.m. weekday slot, formerly held by Tasha Kheiriddin. Kheiriddin, who is also an author and political analyst, had been hosting the noon – 2 p.m. show for the last three years. She’ll continue as a Global contributor, but her last day on-air will be Mar. 1.
McArthur will host from 1 – 3 p.m. Both he and Carter will continue with their respective hosting roles on television, with Carter re-appearing on the 640 airwaves from 6 – 6:30 p.m. ET, alongside Farah Nasser on the Global News at 6 radio simulcast.
Toronto is the latest station in the network to join Global’s supper hour TV on the radio experiment, already launched on Global News Radio-branded stations 980 CKNW-AM Vancouver, 770 CHQR-AM Calgary, and 880 CHQT-AM Edmonton.
Carter will also continue to host weekly TV political affairs show Focus Ontario, while McArthur co-hosts Global TV’s newly-expanded, nationally networked The Morning Show. For McArthur, the move back into talk radio is a return to his roots. The news veteran spent some of the early years of his career at CFPL-AM London in the mid-1990s.
“We’re very pleased to add two talented, experienced broadcasters to Global News Radio 640 Toronto,” said Ward Smith, Senior Vice-President, Global News. “It’s a great opportunity for both Jeff and Alan to showcase their versatility, wit, and wide-range of insights. Great questions, informed guests and razor sharp context is what our growing audience demands from our entire team throughout the day. The addition of Jeff and Alan truly rounds out a great line up.”
As part of the lineup overhaul, Kelly Cutrara’s show expands as she moves to the mid-morning timeslot (9 a.m. – noon), John Oakley’s show shifts one-hour earlier (3 p.m. – 6 p.m.), and Alex Pierson’s show expands by 30 minutes (6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. ET).
The moves follow a handful of layoffs at the station in mid-February that included Matt Gurney, host of mid-morning show The Edge with Matt Gurney. Gurney had been with the station since 2016.
According to Numeris PPM Fall 2018 data supplied by Corus, 640 was the #2 ranked AM station in the Toronto market (A25-54) during the Fall ratings period. Corus says the Fall ratings book marked the first time since 2009 that the station outpaced rival Newstalk 1010 (CFRB-AM).
