Five network midday shows have risen out of last week’s COVID-19-related staff reductions at Jim Pattison Broadcast Group (JPBG).

The company announced Friday that it had offered early retirement packages to 30 and laid off another 40 staff to minimize the impact of pandemic revenue challenges that saw Q2 2020 revenues at half what they were for the same quarter last year.

Network midday shows are one of the ways the broadcast group will be maximizing talent, starting this week, across its 46 stations encompassing Rock, Classic Hits, Hot AC, Country Metro and Country Non-Metro formats.

Many of the hosts are longterm JPBG on-air personalities, who were previously heard on individual stations. Each network show will also be overseen by a Lead Program Director, responsible for show direction, host development and communication with affiliate PDs.

• Rock: Jason Foui, host of afternoons on 106.7 The Drive (CFDV-FM) Red Deer for the past 16 years, will host the network Rock show, while Drive PD Peter Michaels, serves as Lead PD. Originating from The Drive, it will be heard on 98.3 CIFM-FM Kamloops, 106.9 The Wolf (CHWF-FM) Nanaimo, The Drive (CHDR-FM) Cranbrook, and 93.3 The Rock (CJHD-FM) North Battleford, SK.

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  Hot AC: Angie Heinze, co-host of the CIFM morning show in Kamloops, will host the Hot AC network midday show. Jamie Rankin, PD at BIG 105 (CHUB-FM) Red Deer, acts as Lead PD. Originating from B100 (CKBZ-FM) Kamloops, the show will be picked up by BIG 105, The River (CKKN-FM) Prince George, B93 (CJBZ-FM) Lethbridge, 102.3 The Wave (CKWV-FM) Nanaimo, MY96 (CFMY-FM) Medicine Hat, Power 99 (CFMM-FM) Prince Albert, Q98 (CJCQ-FM) North Battleford, and B94 (CHBW-FM) Rocky Mountain House.

• Country Metro: Kristen Jade will host the Country Metro midday show out of Wild 95.3 (CKWD-FM) Calgary where she continues in the midday role, while the station’s PD, Jonathon Best, acts as Lead PD. The show will be heard on Wild 95.3 Calgary, JR Country (CJJR-FM), Vancouver and QX104 (CFQX-FM) Winnipeg.
• Country Non-Metro: From Medicine Hat Kim Johnston, who has been afternoon drive host on MY96 (CFMY-FM) for the past few years, will host the Country Non-Metro midday show. Mike Doll, CHAT Medicine Hat, is Lead PD. The show will air on CHAT, Country 95 (CHLB-FM) Lethbridge, B104 (CHBZ-FM) Cranbrook, XFM (CIXM-FM) Whitecourt, CJVR Melfort, CKBI Prince Albert, CJNB North Battleford, Big West Country (CIBW-FM) Drayton Valley and Big Country (CJXX-FM) Grande Prairie.

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  Classic Hits: Charlee Morgan, who has hosted the Beach Radio (CKQQ-FM) Kelowna midday show since its 2017 launch, helms Classic Hits network middays. Russell James, Senior PD for the JPBG Okanagan group, serves as Lead PD. The show will be heard on the Beach format in Kelowna, Vernon, and Melfort; The Drive (CHWK-FM) Chilliwack, The Eagle (CKLR-FM) Courtenay, and Q99 (CIKT-FM) Grande Prairie.

The Classic Hits and Country Metro midday shows launched today (Tuesday), while the Country Non-Metro show makes its debut Wednesday. The network Rock show starts airing Thursday, and the new Hot AC show premieres Monday, Aug. 10.

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